Prosecutors in northwestern Türkiye have sought up to 402 years in prison for suspended Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and up to 946 years for former Nilüfer Mayor Turgay Erdem as part of a sweeping corruption and organized crime investigation involving dozens of suspects, according to an indictment accepted by a local court on Wednesday.
The 862-page indictment, prepared by the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and accepted by the Bursa 2nd High Criminal Court, names 63 defendants, including 37 who remain in pretrial detention.
Prosecutors accuse Bozbey and Erdem of leading separate criminal organizations allegedly involved in bribery, money laundering, zoning violations and abuse of public office.
According to the indictment, Bozbey established an organized structure during his tenure as mayor of Nilüfer, one of Bursa’s largest districts, and used public authority to maintain the group’s operations. Prosecutors allege that members of the organization approved construction projects in violation of zoning regulations in exchange for bribes from developers.
The indictment claims that unauthorized increases in construction density and irregular occupancy permits generated illicit financial gains, while proceeds from the alleged scheme were laundered through family members, shell companies and affiliated entities.
