Accused in the Murder of a Businessman in 2022 Receives Life Sentence in Northern Cyprus

In Northern Cyprus, a court has delivered a guilty verdict in the high-profile double murder case of businessman Halil Falyalı and his driver Murat Demirtaş. The accused, Ömer Tunç, was sentenced to life imprisonment, while the second accused, Veysel Sare, received a 35-year prison sentence, and the third, Musa Çiçek, was sentenced to 20 years.

The trial took place at the Kyrenia High Criminal Court, which found all three defendants guilty of the murder.

The murder occurred on February 8, 2022, in Çatalköy, Kyrenia. At the time of the attack, the businessman was in his car. His driver, Murat Demirtaş, died at the scene. Halil Falyalı, who sustained serious injuries, was taken to a state hospital and then transferred to the Near East University (NEU) hospital, but he could not be saved.

The three suspects—Veysel Sare, Musa Çiçek, and Ömer Tunç—were arrested a few days later in Northern Cyprus. They were sent to prison on March 4, 2022, where they awaited trial. An additional eight suspects, including Mustafa Söylemez, were caught on February 9, 12, and 13 in Turkey.

The verdict for the suspects detained in Turkey was announced on January 19, 2024. The panel of the 36th High Criminal Court of Istanbul sentenced the defendant Mustafa Söylemez to life imprisonment for premeditated murder. The other defendants also received substantial sentences for aiding in the commission of the crime.