Akgunduz faces gaol after sentence approved

Akgünduz had been sentenced in absentia for two years by an Istanbul court for financial irregularities concerning his Jet-pa group, based in the south eastern province of Siirt. He had fled the country before the court handed down its original decision.
Akgünduz returned to Turkey after winning a seat in the November 3 parliamentary election, having stood as an independent candidate for Siirt, conducting his campaign by proxy while remaining overseas. His election to the Grand National Assembly conferred immunity from prosecution and he flew back to Turkey after the election result was announced.
However, due to allegations that there had been tampering with some ballot boxes in the Siirt election, and that some villages had not been provided with ballot boxes, the Higher Election Board (YSK) ruled that the poll in the province was invalid and ordered a second election to be held on February 9. With the cancelling of the original election result, Akgündüz lost his immunity from prosecution and he was detained by police. On Monday, the Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no. 7 approved the two year sentence and the Tl 750 million fine given earlier to Akgünduz. Having been sentenced to a term of more than one year for financial irregularities, the Siirt businessman is ineligible to stand as a candidate in the February 9 election, though a final ruling on his status must be handed down by the YSK. Akgünduz has previously announced that he would contest the re-run of the November 3 ballot.