Court of Cassation overturns sentence in fatal Ankara pest control case

The Court of Cassation has overturned an 18-year prison sentence handed to İbrahim Çatuk regarding a fatal pest control incident in Ankara's Keçiören district. The case stems from a June 2023 incident where a resident, Ramadan Abass Aden, hired Çatuk to treat his home for pests using aluminum phosphide.

Following the treatment, two neighbors, Türkan Sabancılar and her 10-year-old daughter Elif Sude Sabancılar, fell ill and subsequently died. Forensic reports confirmed the cause of death as aluminum phosphide poisoning, a chemical intended strictly for use in warehouses and storage facilities rather than residential settings.

While the Court of Cassation upheld the finding that Çatuk was primarily responsible for the deaths and injuries through conscious negligence, it ruled that the initial 18-year sentence was legally inconsistent with the applicable Turkish Penal Code. The case has been sent back to the Ankara 31st High Criminal Court for resentencing.