Turkish man sentenced to 8 years in prison for blinding a Cameroonian in north Cyprus

A Turkish realtor who assaulted and injured a Cameroonian in the eye which led to a permanent damage in one eye has been sentenced to 8 years in prison for grave injury. 

The unfortunate incident happened on August, 15, 2022 in Lefkosa

The defendant, Muhammed Tapınç who was being tried on charges of causing grave Injury and grave damage was sentenced to 8 years in prison by a court in Lefkosa on Monday, May, 8. 

Court president, Fadıl Aksun, Senior Judge Vedia Berkut Barkın and Judge Murat Soytaç of the Lefkcosia High Criminal Court made the verdit with an unanimous decision.

Announcing the decision, Fadıl Aksun who touched upon the seriousness of the crime of serious injury and the loss of the complainant's eye, underlined that although the complainant forgave the accused in exchange for USD15,000, the loss of his sense organ was a grave outcome.

Aksun, in the decision of the committee unanimously, announced that they sentenced the accused to 8 years in prison for the cases he was convicted of.

What happened?
Two men, the defendant Muhammed Tapınç and his brother, Hasan Tapınç assaulted a 25-year-old Cameroonian, named Boris Ndip Takang which led to him losing one of his eyes in an accident that took place at Olcay 12 Apartment, Floor 9, Apartment 17 located on Osman Yusuf Street in Lefkosa on, August, 15, 2022.

Police said the incident happened as a result of an argument that resulted between the victim and the suspect who is the caretaker of the apartment about to be vacated by the victim. Tapınç was attempting to evict Takang from the property and would not allow him to collect his belongings.

A friend called the police who arrived and told Tapınç to leave Takang alone as he did not owe any rent. They then left and that is when Tapinc attacked Takang causing serious injury to his right eye.

The suspects hit the victim with his fist in the face, causing a serious injury to one of his eyes. He also caused him bodily harm.

The suspect Muhammed Tapınç was detected and arrested while trying to escape from Ercan Airport on 16 August. 

Muhammed Tapınç and Hasan Tapınç, were taken to court on charges of grave damage and serious assault.

His friend who also spoke to Olomoinfo at the time said; These guys literally called boys to force my friends to park out of the apartment for no good reason. And when they want to leave with their stuffs they refused. My friend called the police.

Police came and asked the white guys to let go since they're not owing and they're willing to drop their deposit. Immediately the police took off, they started using violence and my friend will now live the rest of his life wit an eye. 

Speaking to Olomoinfo, the victim said the men were his caretaker who had come to eject them from the apartment. He said he is  in serious pain and has lost one of his eyes. He expressed his fear that the case might not be taken seriously as he wants justice to be done.

The police demanded that the suspects be kept in police custody for 3 days in the first place, since the issue is a serious one and although it is not life-threatening for the complainant to be still in the hospital, the information received from the doctors was that he was going to undergo an operation and because it was an important operation, it was essential for the suspects to be detained in the police during this process.