Contractor of the apartment that became the grave of 51 people: “I want to be released because I have work to do in TOKİ”
Meanwhile, the family members alleged that the market below the apartment caused the pillar to break.
The court decided to continue the detention of defendant Mehmet Ozcan and the construction site manager and postponed the hearing to September 13, 2024.
“Who is building TOKI on this destruction and death?”
Evaluating the hearing, lawyer Seher Elish said:
“Survivors of the Cemil Çapar apartment building in Antakya, where 51 people lost their lives in the February 6 earthquake, said that the building collapsed in eight seconds, a fire broke out after the destruction, and the fire did not go out for days,” and that many of the bodies could not even be found. The expert report found that the contractor was fundamentally negligent due to inadequate material quality for the building and insufficient reinforcement details during the building’s construction phase. At today’s hearing, detained and on trial contractor Mehmet Özkan requested his release on the grounds that he must deliver the state tender and TOKİ works. The court decided to continue his detention. “Who is commissioning the construction of TOKİ on such destruction and death?”
A statement from the Families Pursuing Justice Platform said:
“This incident once again demonstrates the need for stricter inspection and quality control mechanisms in the selection of companies to take part in the TOKİ project and similar large-scale construction projects. The massive destruction and loss of life has highlighted how important safety and quality standards are in the construction industry. “It is crucial that legal procedures are carried out scrupulously to ensure justice is served.”
