Prime Minster Ersin Tatar has sent a letter to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in London through Mr Bark-Jones, Mark & Co Law Office, asking whether an arrest warrant existed against him.
According to Turkish Cypriot daily ‘Havadis’, a letter dated 25 November, 2019 was sent by the prime minister. The paper publishes a copy of the letter.
There had been some speculation in one or two Turkish Cypriot newspapers that Tatar could face arrest in the UK on the grounds that he was employed by Polly Peck, owned by Asil Nadir who was found guilty of defrauding his company.
A letter was sent in reply on behalf of the SFO, signed by Senior Lawyer Rosemary Donabella. She noted that “it has been decided not to institute criminal proceedings on the grounds it is now not in the public interest to prosecute Mr Tatar”. She added the following:
“Accordingly, the Director of the SFO, exercising discretion granted to her by the Criminal Justice Act 1987, has taken the decision to discontinue this matter and not to instigate criminal proceedings against your client.
“The warrant for Mr Tatar’s arrest dated 13 August 2015 has been withdrawn by the Magistrate’s Court”.
The prime minister said he was relieved that the matter had been resolved. He reiterated that he was in his twenties when employed by Polly Peck and had no authority to sign any documents on behalf of the company. Tatar was named in Asil Nadir’s trial as one of Nadir’s main aides, organising the transfer of funds illegally out of London. He denies that allegation.
Asil Nadir was sentenced to ten years in prison after he was found guilty in the UK of stealing £29 million from his company Polly Peck, during the 1980’s.
On April 22, 2016, Nadir was returned to custody in Turkey, where he was released and permitted to return to North Cyprus.
Havadis, LGC News
