The trial of 7 defendants regarding the train disaster in Çorlu district of Tekirdağ, in which 25 people, including 300 children, lost their lives and injured more than 13, was postponed to 21 March 2023.
On July 8, 2018, when the passenger train on the Uzunköprü-Istanbul route overturned some of its wagons near Tekirdağ Çorlu, 25 people lost their lives and 340 people were injured. In the indictment, it was requested that the defendants Turgut Kurt, Özkan Polat, Çetin Yıldırım and Celaleddin Çabuk be sentenced to between two and 15 years in prison on the grounds that they were found to be 'essentially defective in the occurrence of the accident'.
As a result of the expert reports and evaluation received by the Çorlu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on September 9, it was decided to expand the investigation and to prosecute nine more people.
The 12th hearing of the case was held today at the Çorlu Public Education Center Conference Hall by the Çorlu 1st High Criminal Court.
The hearing continued with the defense of TCDD Railway Service Manager Mümin Karasu on the date of the train disaster, after an hour-long break after the defenses of the defendants TCDD 1st Region Railway Maintenance Manager Nihat Arslan and Deputy Director Levent Muammer Meriçli.
Stating that there are 11 Service Directorates under him, Aslan said, "My duty is to ensure coordination between the services in the region." Denying the accusations against him, Aslan stated that he was in charge of administrative affairs and was not responsible for the technical part. After Aslan, TCDD 1st Regional Deputy Manager Levent Muammer Meriçli's statement was made. Meriçli stated in his interrogation that he did not have the authority to supervise.
Giving information about the spending authority of the institution, Meriçli said, “Information about the works to be tendered is received. An allowance is also taken for maintenance and repair works. The Regional Manager is authorized to tender, but the General Manager makes the approval.
Informing that Mümin Karasu is not an engineer in line with a question asked by Lawyer Ersin Albuz, Meriçli said, “He was taken by proxy. "It's not my job to object to the requirement to be an engineer for his appointment," he said. Meriçli said, "I don't know what kind of problem there is before the accident happens."
After Meriçli, TCDD 1st Maintenance Service Manager Mümin Karasu spoke. Karasu stated that before the accident, the Railway Maintenance Directorate was warned at least twice and said, “I was targeted”.
Karasu said, “It is not possible for the Service Directorates to physically monitor the works in the field alone” and added, “While I have fulfilled my duty by writing warning letters, I am being tried by 'conscious negligence'. However, the Railway Maintenance Manager and lower ranks are on trial by 'simple negligence'. The bureaucracy burden of the Railway Maintenance Service Directorates is high. Hierarchically, the Department, the Branch Offices responsible for the infrastructure responsible for the superstructure, the Regional Manager, the Maintenance Service Manager, the Maintenance Service Deputy Managers are parties to this event. It is the responsibility of the Maintenance Directorate to take precautions by making necessary checks at critical points of the train railway during seasonal transitions. Karasu denied the accusations and said, "Despite the warnings I have made, those who must fulfill their duties are not prosecuted."
In court, the defendants also requested to hear witnesses.
Announcing its interim decision, the court decided to partially accept the defendants' requests to hear witnesses and ruled for the continuation of the judicial control measures against the defendants.
The hearing was adjourned to 21 March 2023.
Be the first to comment