Investigation permit issued for 8 municipal officials after advertising billboard collapse kills woman

A tragic accident in Sincan, Turkey, has led to a significant legal development, with a regional administrative court ordering an investigation into eight municipal officials. The officials are implicated in the death of Ayşe Yavuz, a secretary who was waiting for a bus when an advertising billboard, belonging to the Sincan Municipality, collapsed on the bus stop on June 6, 2024.

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Ayşe was an angel of a girl. She never upset anyone, never hurt anyone. She was the salt of our home. She never broke anyone's heart. She always had a smile on her face. She went from work to home, home to work. It's been 2 years, the anniversary just passed. The company official was jailed for 15 days, then released. We've been fighting for 2 years, trusting first in God, then in the state's justice. We finally got what we wanted. 8 people in the municipality are being investigated. Now the prosecutor will take their statements.

Expert reports revealed critical flaws in the billboard's construction, specifically that its foundation was dug to a depth of 1.35 meters instead of the required 4.5 meters, and used only 5.40 cubic meters of concrete instead of the specified 18 cubic meters. The company responsible for the billboard's manufacturing and installation, represented by Semih Esat Ünsal, faces charges of "causing death by conscious negligence," with a potential prison sentence of two to 12 years.

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The company official said in his defense at the trial, 'The municipality came and inspected, I didn't do anything without them.'

Initially, the Sincan District Governorate denied permission to investigate the eight municipal employees identified in the expert report for failing to fulfill their supervisory duties during the billboard's installation. However, Ayşe Yavuz's family appealed this decision through their lawyers. The Regional Administrative Court subsequently overturned the denial, ruling that the evidence, including the expert report stating the accident stemmed from installation errors rather than manufacturing defects, warranted an investigation.

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The accident was not caused by manufacturing defects but by installation errors.

The court's decision, which was unanimous and final, has been sent to the Ankara West Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The implicated officials include a support services manager, a clerk, a laborer, a computer operator, and three engineers. The case highlights a critical failure in municipal oversight and the subsequent legal battle for accountability.

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The evidence in the file and the statements indicate that an investigation is necessary for the individuals concerned regarding the imputed action.