The Court Refused to Arrest the Mayor of Mesarya in the Water Tank Theft Case

The Famagusta Court for Serious Criminal Cases has begun hearing the case against the Mayor of Mesarya Municipality, Ahmet Latif, who is accused of embezzling state property. The case concerns the dismantling and removal of a 10-ton water tank from the premises of the State Property Office in Akdogan in 2019.

According to the prosecution, Ahmet Latif acted together with two municipal employees. The prosecution classifies the case as theft committed by an official in the course of duty.

At the first hearing, Latif was officially informed of the charges and completely denied all the points against him. After the charges were read, the prosecution requested his detention, stating that the crime was serious and related to the abuse of his official position. Senior prosecutor Egemen Metay argued that if released, the defendant could influence witnesses, most of whom are residents of Akdogan and municipal employees.

However, the court did not agree with the prosecution's arguments. In its decision, it noted that:

• the incident occurred seven years ago;
• no instances of pressure on witnesses were recorded during the investigation;
• Ahmet Latif regularly attended all court sessions, eliminating the risk of flight.

The court also took into account that the defendant is an elected mayor, and under the current circumstances, detention would be disproportionate. As a result, the prosecution's request was rejected, and the court decided to continue the proceedings without detaining Latif.

It is recalled that Ahmet Latif was detained in February–March 2019 on charges of dismantling and stealing a water tank. He was later released on bail. Since then, the trial has been ongoing for about seven years.

The substantive hearing of the case in court continues