A contractor testifying in a wide-ranging corruption and bribery trial involving Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) officials alleged in court that bribes were paid in connection with municipal tenders and project payments, saying the system operated through informal arrangements involving cash, apartments and commercial units.

Adem Soytekin, a contractor listed in the case file as an "organizing member,” gave testimony on the 28th day of proceedings in a case involving 414 defendants, including 92 who are in custody. The case centers on allegations of corruption, bribery and organized criminal activity linked to the municipality during the tenure of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu.

Soytekin, who benefited from effective remorse provisions, told the court he decided to cooperate after he was "left alone” by the municipality. He alleged that contractors were pressured to make payments in order to receive money owed to them for work carried out on municipal projects.

"I paid bribes in exchange for tenders. This is how the system works,” Soytekin was quoted as saying in court.

According to Soytekin’s testimony, the general manager of IBB's real estate subsidy KIPTAŞ, Ali Kurt, allegedly demanded $500,000 from him in connection with project payments. Soytekin said he did not have the full amount in cash at the time and asked an associate to collect $400,000, later completing the sum himself. He alleged that the money was delivered to Kurt through Murat Eren.

Soytekin said contractors believed they would not receive the payments they were owed unless they complied with the demand.

"If we had not given the money they wanted, we would not have received the money we were entitled to on time,” Soytekin told the court. "It was made clear to us that if the requested money was not paid, the funds that should have been transferred to contractors from KIPTAŞ accounts would not be sent to us for a long time.”

Soytekin also described what he called an informal payment and offsetting system inside the municipality. He said contractors were directed to build nurseries, cultural centers and dormitories, then collect their receivables through checks, apartments, shops or cash from third parties.

In another part of his testimony, Soytekin said three apartments in the Deniz Istanbul Project’s Mercan residences were transferred to his company in February 2020 without direct payment. He claimed the apartments were given in return for renovation work at the CHP’s Istanbul provincial headquarters in the Ayazağa district, a building previously linked in public debate to footage showing cash counting.

Soytekin further said municipalities often do not construct public buildings solely through their own resources, adding that projects are sometimes carried out under what he described as "voluntary donations.”

During questioning, the presiding judge asked Soytekin about his earlier statement that $1.5 million had been sent to Kurt. Soytekin initially did not provide details, prompting the judge to say the court was having difficulty communicating with him.

"Bribe, Mr. President, bribe,” Soytekin replied.

The corruption investigation into Imamoğlu, who was suspended from his post as Istanbul metropolitan mayor and jailed, was completed with the preparation of a 3,809-page indictment on Nov. 11, 2025.

In the indictment, he is identified as the alleged "leader of a criminal organization” and is accused of several offenses, including establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes, bribery, laundering criminal proceeds, fraud against public institutions and organizations, recording personal data, illegally obtaining and disseminating personal data, concealing criminal evidence, obstructing communications, damaging public property, receiving bribes, publicly spreading misleading information, extortion, laundering assets derived from crime, rigging tenders, deliberately polluting the environment, violating the Tax Procedure Law, violating the Forestry Law and violating the Mining Law.

Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence ranging from 828 years and two months to 2,352 years for Imamoğlu over 142 alleged acts.

The first hearing was held on Monday, March 9. Since the start of the trial, 36 defendants have presented their defenses. No hearing was held on Friday, while proceedings continue four days a week.