A Turkish court has issued an arrest warrant for the suspended Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek as part of a corruption investigation involving a municipal infrastructure firm.
Böcek, who is already in pre-trial detention on separate charges and has been suspended from his duties as mayor, testified via a video link from prison.
The court ordered his arrest on charges of "embezzlement" and "overlooking the commission of embezzlement crimes."
The investigation, led by the Antalya chief public prosecutor’s office, focuses on alleged irregular spending through ALDAŞ, a company affiliated with the Antalya Municipality.
Authorities claim that these transactions resulted in an estimated public loss of approximately 399.5 million Turkish liras ($8.9 million).
The probe began on Jan. 14 and involves 22 suspects, including Böcek. Of those, 14 were detained and five were formally arrested.
Some suspects were not taken into custody due to being abroad or for health-related reasons.
Separately, Böcek is among 41 defendants currently on trial over charges of extortion through coercion, unlawful acquisition of assets, influence peddling and money laundering.
The case is ongoing and no final verdict has yet been reached.
Since last year, several CHP mayors have been subjected to investigations into corruption and bribery allegations, with several currently in pretrial custody. The CHP has described the wave of detentions and investigations as politically motivated, a claim the government has firmly rejected.
