A popular radio DJ, who was friends with A-list celebrities, was abducted and tortured before being killed at a restaurant located only a short distance from the Spurs stadium, a court heard. Mehmet Koray Alpergin, 43, was the owner of the Turkish radio station Bizim FM and had connections with the likes of rapper P Diddy and internet sensation 'Salt Bae'.
Alpergin was tortured to death in London by what were described as "sadistic thugs." The attackers inflicted a total of 94 injuries on the victim, including beatings with a bat and stabbing his feet. Besides, they locked his girlfriend in a bathroom for two days during this horrifying incident.
Tortured and Killed Mercilessly
Alpergin and his girlfriend, Gozde Dalbudak, 34, were abducted by a group of six men in close proximity to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as they were heading home after dining at an Italian restaurant in Mayfair on October 13, 2022, as reported by The Telegraph.
The assailants were believed to have placed a tracking device on Alpergin's car.
The couple was forcibly placed into separate vehicles, with Dalbudak being held at knifepoint. They were then transported to an abandoned wine bar located on White Hart Lane.
Alpergin's life came to a brutal end as his naked body, bearing extensive injuries from being punched, kicked, beaten with a bat, scalded with boiling water, and stabbed in the feet, was disposed of in the woods near Essex on October 15, according to prosecutors.
Alpergin's lifeless body was discovered hours later by a dog walker.
Meanwhile, Gozde Dalbudak, his girlfriend, was locked in the restroom of the bar for an agonizing two days, as detailed to the jurors.
Steffan Gordon, 34, Tejean Kennedy, 33, Samuel Owusu-Opuku, 35, Junior Kettle, 32, and Ali Kavak, 26, all pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and false imprisonment.
Kennedy, Owusu-Opuku, Kettle, and Kavak also denied the kidnapping charges related to Mr. Alpergin and Ms. Dalbudak on October 13, 2022.
Additionally, Kavak and Erdogan Ulcay, 56, pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice by assisting in the disposal of Mr. Alpergin's body and the destruction by fire of a Fiat Diablo van and Renault Megane.
Cold-Blooded Murder
On the night of the incident, Alpergin and Dalbudak returned to his home in Ebony Crescent, Enfield, at 10:25 pm, as stated by prosecutor Crispin Aylett, KC. Aylett added: "As Koray Alpergin got out of his Audi, a man ran towards him - the man was followed by three others.
"Although Mr Alpergin tried to run away, he was quickly caught. He called out for help but he was frog-marched back past his own car and bundled into a white van that was parked nearby.
"Much later on, the police recovered from outside the flat a blood-stained fragment that had been torn from Koray Alpergin's shirt. So, he must have put up a fight- but he was simply outnumbered.
"Gozde Dalbudak had remained in the car. She was later to tell the police that she heard the sound of a scuffle.
"A masked man had appeared at the window. He was armed with a knife. He told Ms Dalbudak to be quiet. She got out of the car and he led her over to the van.
"The van was driven away with Mr Alpergin and Ms Dalbudak in the back. Ms Dalbudak has said that the men were sitting on top of them. In all, the prosecution suggests that no less than nine men had driven in the white van and two cars to the scene of that kidnap."
During the trial, jurors were told that Alpergin, the owner of the London-based Turkish-language radio station Bizim FM, displayed an unusual demeanor prior to the fatal attack. Contrary to his usual "happy-go-lucky" personality, he appeared anxious and troubled.
Moreover, it was alleged that the well-known DJ was facing financial difficulties, being in substantial debt, with a notable portion owed, including approximately $40,000 specifically for his car, according to reports by the Telegraph.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that two additional people, Ali Yildrim and Cem Oman, have fled and are suspected to be residing overseas. Additionally, the identities of the other two men involved in the incident remain unknown.
