Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said the Somalian President’s son Mohammed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who killed a motorcycle courirer in the Istanbul traffic, is expected to come to Turkey for trial.
“In the coming days, the defendant will come to Turkey and participate in the trial process,” Tunc told reporters on Thursday, adding that Turkey is in contact with the Somalian authorities.
“Our priority is, above all, our own citizens. It is our duty to protect the rights and laws of our deceased citizens,” Tunc added.
On November 30, Yunus Emre Gocer, a 38-year-old motorcycle courier was hit by a car driven by Mohamud. Gocer was badly wounded but the police released Mohamud after taking his testimony.
Gocer died six days after the accident. The first police report and Mohamud’s police testimony claimed that Gocer had committed suicide.
Camera footage and expert opinion showed that the claims made by Mohamud during his police statement were wrong, and found him the primary negligent party in the accident.
After the footage was released by Istanbul Municipality, a Turkish court imposed an international travel ban on Mohamud, but it was revealed that Mohamud had already fled Turkey on December 2.
Oznur Gocer, the wife of the courier who was killed in the car accident, filed a criminal complaint against the police officers and prosecutor who wrote the accident report.
Public anger in Turkey grew after the flight of Mahamud was revealed.
The Somalian President insisted that his son did not flee Turkey, however. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told Associated Press on Wednesday that his 40-year-old son, who is a doctor, stayed at the scene of the crash and remained in Istanbul for several days.
“It was an accident. He did not run away and he hired a lawyer for this purpose,” the President said. “And there was no arrest warrant. … So, he has a business and left the country.”
The Somalian President added that he has advised his son to go back and present himself to the Turkish court, which has issued an arrest warrant.
Source : Balkan Insight
