The Continued Trial of the Candan Brothers
Bahar Candan, who had been arrested, and her sister Nihal Candan, who was released due to health reasons, appeared at the hearing at the 5th High Criminal Court of Küçükçekmece Courthouse. The hearing was held with the presence of the defendants and complainants, where statements were heard and the session was adjourned.
During the recess, Nihal Candan left the courthouse and responded to questions from journalists by making a heart sign with her hand when asked if she thinks her brother will be released. She did not respond to any other questions from the press.
The indictment, prepared by the Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, includes 21 defendants, 38 complainants, and Gülnihal Çiçek and Alisya Bahar Candan. It alleges that Onur Apaydın and İlker Oflu were leaders of the network, which operated as an organized crime group, utilizing fraudulent methods to generate income.
According to the indictment, Alisya Bahar Candan played a more active role in the criminal organization compared to her sister Gülnihal Çiçek. Gülnihal Çiçek was released with judicial control based on the time she had already spent in detention.
The indictment seeks a sentence of 14 to 44 years in prison for Alisya Bahar Candan on charges of “membership in a criminal organization” and “fraud by impersonating a public official or a bank employee.” Gülnihal Çiçek is facing a sentence of 8 to 24 years for the same crimes. The other 20 defendants in the case are also facing different prison terms for various charges.
The trial continues as the court processes the evidence and testimonies presented during the hearings. Stay tuned for more updates on this ongoing legal case.
