KUALA LUMPUR— A Turkish man heading an international school in Ipoh was allegedly abducted just before he was due to testify as a witness in a two-day criminal trial starting today.
Suheyl Ozcelik, a fellow Turkish citizen teaching physics at the same Time International School, lodged a police report late last night of the alleged abduction of Turgay Karaman.
Ozcelik said he and his friends had discovered the afternoon abduction after viewing close circuit television (CCTV) footage of the office building where Turgay was to have met with lawyers.
“We were shocked to witness from the CCTV recordings that five unknown men had abducted Mr Turgay and forced him to enter one of their cars, Nissan Almera Car Registration No: WQE 8216. The other car is a Proton Gen-2 Car Registration No: BFD 6198;
“The CCTV Recordings clearly showed the faces of these five unknown men who blocked Mr Turgay’s face from the camera,” Ozcelik said in the police report lodged at the Damansara police station and sighted by Malay Mail Online.
According to Ozcelik’s police report, the 43-year-old Turgay was scheduled to have attended a witness briefing at 4.30pm yesterday for a criminal case at the lawyers’ office at Wisma E&C at Damansara Heights.
After arriving at 4.25pm with two other friends at the office building’s basement parking, Ozcelik said they thought Turgay had already arrived as they saw his car in the parking lot.
Screenshot of Wisma E&C's security footage showing the men who allegedly abducted Turgay Karaman.
Screenshot of Wisma E&C’s security footage showing the men who allegedly abducted Turgay Karaman.
He said however that he tried contacting Turgay at 4.35pm when the meeting with lawyers started, but could not reach Turgay either through phone calls or WhatsApp messages as the latter’s mobile phone was switched off.
He said he kept trying to call Turgay from 6.40pm to 7.00pm after the meeting ended but was unsuccessful, adding that he then “panicked” as two of his Turkish friends were abducted last October 13 and deported to Turkey the following day.
He then immediately asked to view the security footage of the basement carpark and its exit gate, which led to the discovery of the abduction.
He noted that Turgay’s passport which is still at his house will only expire October 10, 2021, and that his employment pass is still valid until this October 2.
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MEANWHILE, according to The Star:
KUALA LUMPUR: Police are investigating the alleged abduction of a Turkish man by unknown individuals at a carpark in Damansara Heights Tuesday, a day before he was to appear as a witness in a case at the magistrate’s court.
Turgay Karaman, who is believed to be the principal of an international school in Ipoh, was supposed to testify in a trial set for May 3 and 4.
Karaman was supposed to meet his friend, Suheyl Ozcelik, at their lawyer’s office in Damansara Heights at 4.30pm but did not turn up.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said police are studying the CCTV footage and trying to get in touch with the victim’s wife.
“We need to gather all the facts first.
“If indeed he was kidnapped, the family must refrain from spreading information that can jeopardise the investigation, ” he said.
Worried for Karaman’s safety, Ozcelik lodged a police report at the Damansara Police Station.
According to Ozcelik, Karaman was supposed to meet him at their lawyer’s office in Damansara Heights at 4.30pm.
Ozcelik told police that he arrived with two other friends at the venue five minutes before the appointment and saw Karaman’s car.
However, when the meeting started at 4.35pm, the friends noticed Karaman’s absence and started calling and texting him only to realise that his phone was turned off and the messages were not delivered.
Ozcelik and his lawyers continued with the meeting and later tried to call Karaman but their efforts were futile.
“I started to panic because two of my Turkish friends were abducted on Oct 13 last year and were deported to Turkey the next day,” claimed Ozcelik.
He said he managed to secure CCTV footage from the building’s management office which showed Taraman surrounded by five men in two cars and was forced to enter one of the cars.
“I’m afraid for his safety,” he said.
MALAY MAIL /ANN
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