Bee Apartment case: Indictment completed for building where 31 people lost their lives; 4 defendants to face judge

The Adıyaman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has prepared an indictment against contractor Şükrü İşitmen, former Besni Municipality Mayor Memet Nuri Tuğsuz, Public Works Director Memet Yıldırım, and civil engineer Ekrem Lenger on charges of causing death and injury through conscious negligence in connection with the collapse of the Bee Apartment in the Kaymakam Hasan Tütün neighborhood of Besni district, which resulted in the deaths of 31 people during the February 6, 2023 earthquakes. Adıyaman 3rd Heavy Penal Court accepted the indictment.

The indictment determined that the building lacked architectural and static projects as well as a soil survey report, there were discrepancies between the building permit and the building usage permit, concrete strength was insufficient, and reinforcement and stirrup arrangements did not comply with standards. It was noted that due to these deficiencies, the building collapsed in the earthquake with floors falling on top of each other.

The court issued a warrant for the arrest of defendant Şükrü İşitmen because his defense statement could not be obtained. An order was also issued to send five complainants' medical records to the Adıyaman Institute of Forensic Medicine. The first hearing was set for December 3 at 09:25.

Complainant's attorney Abdurrahman Özdoğan characterized the indictment, completed after 3 years 8 months, as a delayed but long-awaited step from the perspective of the affected families. During the investigation process, the Adıyaman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had previously returned the file to the Besni Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; after the completion of missing statements and reports, the indictment was prepared again in Adıyaman.