Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
A Turkish man has been remanded in custody for pushing his pregnant wife off a cliff at the same time as these pictures were taken just over two years ago.
Police suspect that Hakan Aysal, 40, pushed Semra Aysal, 32, off the cliff where she was killed instantly while they were on holiday in Butterfly Valley in the district of Fethiye in the south-eastern Turkish city of Mugla in June 2018.
She was killed together with her unborn child as she was seven months pregnant.
The couple had been taking pictures on the cliff, and prosecutors say the “accident” was in fact murder carried out by the husband so that he could cash in on the insurance he took out a short while previously.
In the indictment prepared for the crime of ‘deliberate murder’ against the husband, it states that he “planned the murder of his wife by first taking out a personal accident insurance on her behalf with a guarantee of TRY 400,000 (GBP 40,865) and where the only beneficiary was himself”.
Prosecutors claimed that the only reason they sat on top of the cliff for three hours was so that he could make sure no one was around, and as soon as he realised they were alone, he deliberately killed her by pushing her off the cliff.
The indictment also noted that Aysal had claimed the insurance payment of TRY 400,000 (GBP 40,865) a short while later, but it was declined when news of the investigation was unveiled.
The Fethiye High Criminal Court has ruled that he be remanded in custody for premeditated murder.
In a video interview, the court heard from the victim’s brother Naim Yolcu who said: “When we went to the Forensic Medicine Institute to get the body, Hakan was sitting in the car. My family and I were destroyed, but Hakan did not even appear sad.”
He added: “My sister was always against taking out loans. However, after she died, we learned that she had three loans taken by Hakan on behalf of my sister. Also, Hakan had a fear of heights, what extreme sport is she going to be doing when she is scared of heights?”
Asked about the questionable insurance premiums, Aysal said: “I have been interested in extreme sports since 2014; parachute, bungee jumping, rafting. That is why I had life insurance before I got married.”
Aysal was also asked about the article in the accident personal insurance stating that “in case Semra Aysal dies, her heir will be husband Hakan Aysal. In case Hakan Aysal dies, his heirs will be family relatives”.
Aysal said; “I did not examine the policy much. The banker arranged the paperwork. I just brought it to my wife to get it signed. I was not aware that there was such an article.”
He has denied being responsible for her death, saying: “After taking a photo, my wife put the phone in her bag. Later she asked me to give her the phone. I got up and then heard my wife scream behind me when I walked a few steps away to get the phone from her bag. When I turned back, she was not there. I did not push my wife.”
The investigation continues.
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