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A court has sentenced doctor Nurettin Demirkol to two years and six months in prison for giving false testimony in the investigation into the death of former transport minister Arif Ahmet Denizolgun.

The Bakırköy 6th Criminal Court of First Instance decided to defer the sentence because of the defendant's age and ordered Demirkol released.

Defendant denies being the minister's personal physician

At the hearing, Demirkol, 66, who was tried in custody, said the witness statement was taken in four stages and claimed the records were signed without being read.

Demirkol told the court that the late minister had been examined two or three times and that only a blood pressure problem was known. "I used the term personal doctor so as not to be misunderstood. It was a mistake. I am not the personal physician of the late minister," Demirkol said, adding that the intention had been to make clear there was no public servant status.

Emergency call record and earlier testimony

Demirkol said the voices on the 155 emergency call record in the case file were recognisable as those of the defendant. During the call the phrase "an unexpected sudden death" was used, and when police asked whether there was a suspicious death, Demirkol said there had been no assessment of the death as suspicious. The defendant had wanted to contact the government physician but, failing to reach one, asked police for guidance.

Demirkol argued that recalling events from 10 years earlier was not possible. A statement given in 2016 said a small amount of bloodied fluid had come from the right edge of the deceased's mouth, while a statement given this year said no blood was seen on the face or body. Demirkol maintained that fluid from the stomach that day may have been assessed as blood.

Prosecution's demand and the verdict

Demirkol said the street outside the house was extremely crowded after the incident and that Alihan Kuriş was not seen at the scene. "I do not accept the accusation in any way. I request my release and acquittal," the defendant told the court.

The prosecutor's final opinion called for a conviction for perjury and for the detention to continue. Asked for a final statement, Demirkol again requested acquittal.

The court convicted Demirkol of perjury and imposed a prison sentence of two years and six months. Ruling that the sentence be deferred because of the defendant's age, the court also ordered Demirkol's release.

Key takeaways

• Nurettin Demirkol was sentenced to two years and six months for perjury in the case over Arif Ahmet Denizolgun's death.
• The Bakırköy 6th Criminal Court of First Instance deferred the sentence due to the defendant's age and ordered release.
• Demirkol denied being the late minister's personal physician and rejected the accusation, requesting acquittal.
• The prosecutor had sought a conviction for false testimony and the continuation of detention.