Four men arrested yesterday as suspects for the brutal slaughter of 16 donkeys in Karpasia 10 days ago have been placed in two-day detention by the provincial ‘court’ of Trikomo.
The suspects were arrested for illegal possession of weapons, illegal possession of explosives, and harm to animals.
Police investigator Rifat Akciabel stated before a judge that searches were conducted in the homes of 14 suspects following the incident.
Similar cartridges and weapons to those used in the killings were found in the possession of the four suspects, with two having legal hunting weapons.
One suspect was arrested for refusing to hand over his weapon to authorities.
Akciabel reported that the mobile phones of all four suspects have been seized and are being searched, and statements have been taken from all of them.
UNLIKELY A ONE PERSON CRIME
In response to a question from the prosecutor, Akciabel said that the 16 donkeys were in an area of 100 square meters, making it unlikely that one person committed the killings alone.
He indicated that at least four people were involved and that they are still searching for a weapon, requesting that the suspects remain in custody to avoid interfering with the investigation.
During a short break in the proceedings, one of the suspects, identified by the initials ED, told reporters that they were looking for a scapegoat.
Another suspect threatened journalists, saying, “I will shoot you” if they published his photo.