Three Arrested in Probe into Mayor's Electrocution Death

An investigation into the death of Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek, who passed away on June 9, 2023, following an electric shock at his home, has led to the arrest of three individuals. Zeyrek was electrocuted on the evening of June 6, 2023, at his villa in Yunusemre district and died while receiving treatment at Manisa Celal Bayar University Hafsa Sultan Hospital.

As the investigation deepened, the pool's water was drained, and the surrounding area and machine room were cordoned off. An additional expert report on the internal design of the pool motor was requested. Preliminary findings indicated installation errors in the pool pump motor and faulty electrical work, suggesting negligence on the part of those responsible for the installation and electrical systems.

Three suspects, Z.M., N.B., and H.İ., were arrested on charges of "causing death by negligence." N.B. and H.İ. were identified as primarily responsible for the faulty installation of the motor and electrical components in the pool's energy room. Z.M. was subsequently released as no fault was attributed to him. Another suspect, M.Y.P., involved in the pool's construction, was released after providing a statement to prosecutors.

A five-person academic team from Istanbul Technical University, comprising experts in mechanical, electrical-electronic, and civil engineering, as well as disaster management, completed a report on September 25. The report confirmed that the pool's energy room was not constructed to standard specifications and that the motor and electrical equipment were incorrectly installed. It also identified additional individuals with potential culpability, bringing the total number of potentially responsible parties to six. The report highlighted varying degrees of fault among those involved.