Ruling in Germany's Deniz Feneri case due this week - Hürriyet

The Supreme Court of Frankfurt on Monday heard the testimony of the police chief of the Frankfurt financial crimes unit Alexander Boehm regarding the movement of money in the case.

The court is expected to announce its ruling in the case on Wednesday, after listening to Boehm's testimony, Hurriyet reported.

A legal case was opened in Germany for the religious charity, Deniz Feneri, over claims of illegal financial transactions involving donated funds and fraud.

The fraud scandal widened to media groups close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and some Turkish bureaucrats. Even a suspect in the case claimed that funds from the charity were paid to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, which resulted in Erdogan launching an attack on media organs that published the claims.

The Court Chairman Joachim Mueller rejected Monday the claims that that the Turkish government pressured for the release of suspects in the Deniz Feneri case.

"I am honestly saying that nobody pressured me, and I did not speak to any politicians," he was quoted by NTVMSNBC as saying.

The financial crimes unit chief accused the head of the Turkish media watchdog, RTUK, of being a money courier, Turkey's NTV reported on Monday.

Boehm told before the court that Akman was hand delivered money in Germany on several occasions, it added. Akman also helped to transfer the money using his private car, Boehm said.

He also said no evidence was obtained that any money was sent to political parties, prime minister or the Prime Ministry in Turkey, the Anatolian Agency reported.