In the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the detention periods of the Girne Branch Manager and a bank employee who helped him at Near East Bank, where they were caught with the accusation of embezzling 1.3 million sterling and falsifying documents, were extended by 6 days. A theft scandal took place in a bank in Northern Cyprus. The Branch Manager I.K and the bank employee I.D, who is said to have helped him at the Girne Branch of Near East Bank in Girne region, were caught with the accusation of embezzling 1.3 million sterling and falsifying documents. The detention periods of I.K for 11 days and I.D for 2 days were extended by 6 days each. Police Koral Debreli, who serves in the Criminal Branch connected to Girne Police Headquarters, stated in court that it was determined that Suspect I.K embezzled 217 thousand sterling from the time he served at the Girne Branch of the Near East Bank between 2021-2025 from a time deposit account belonging to O.D on different dates. Debreli noted that after the complaint made on February 3, 2024, the same day I.K was arrested, the suspect stated in his voluntary statement that he embezzled a total of around 1.3 million sterling from the accounts of 8 different bank customers and spent it on gambling. Debreli stated that during I.K’s 11-day detention period, his house and car were also searched and a total of 151 unsigned customer receipts belonging to 35 different people were taken as evidence from his car. “THEY CREATED FAKE DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS TOGETHER” Debreli also stated that precautionary measures were taken on all of the suspect’s accounts and that in the initial examination of his cell phone on February 12, 2024, conversations were found indicating that he and I.D had arranged fake deposit vouchers on behalf of bank customers and that I.D was also arrested on the same day. Reminding that I.D was brought to court yesterday and a 1-day detention order was issued, Debreli stated that I.K gave another voluntary statement on the same day, saying that they created fake deposit accounts related to the customers from whom they withdrew or transferred money and embezzled, and spent most of it on gambling on the internet. “CUSTOMERS STATED THAT THEY NEVER GAVE ANY VERBAL OR WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS” In the initial investigation on February 3, 2024, the police indicated that the stolen amount was 217 thousand sterling which had reached 714 thousand 534 sterling and 33 thousand euros by February 7, 2024, and as of yesterday, the total amount had increased to 978 thousand 198 sterling and 34 thousand 805 euros along with 3 thousand 170 dollars. The police also mentioned that statements were taken from different customers, and these individuals stated that they had never given I.K any verbal or written instructions to withdraw or transfer money from their accounts. The police stated that they had interrogated 20 people since the beginning of the investigation and taken statements from 15 people, and mentioned that 3 bank customers residing in Europe had come to the country and filed a complaint. SUSPECTS TO UNDERGO DOCTOR’S EXAMINATION Defense lawyers requested that the suspects be examined at the Peace Mental and Nervous Diseases Hospital. The attorneys, as well as the lawyer of I.D, argued that their clients had experienced psychological issues and received treatment in the past, therefore they needed to be examined by a doctor. Judge Murat Soytaç approved the suspects’ examination by a doctor.