Ankara Court Issues An Arrest Warrant In Absentia For Koza İpek Chairman

- Eighth Criminal Court of Peace has issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Akın İpek, the chairman of Koza İpek, a company with links to the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) ally-turned-foe Fethullah Gülen.

Ankara police on Sept. 1 raided 23 companies of the Koza İpek conglomerate. Turkey’s Financial Crime Investigation Board (MASAK) launched the raid around 8 a.m. Sept. 1. During the search, police confiscated computers and documents, while also detaining seven suspects. The detained persons were released on probation by an Ankara court on Sept. 2.

Meanwhile, Ankara Eighth Criminal Court of Peace issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Akın İpek, who is reportedly in the United Kingdom. Speaking to reporters, Akın İpek’s mother, Melek İpek, denied allegations that her son fled to escape a trial.

“Mr. Akın did not flee to U.K.; he would not and will not. There is no reason for him to escape. They can search seven stories below Earth and above it, but they cannot find a mistake of his” she said.

A day before the raid, on Aug. 31, Akın İpek released a written statement announcing 27 of his companies had been under financial inspection for the past two years. “Our group cannot be part of any crime scenario, not even a fictional one,” he said, vowing to “disprove the slander with documents.”