Turkish official appointed to new post after driving under influence and killing child

A Turkish district governor who ran over a child in a fatal incident as he was driving a car after consuming alcohol was appointed to a new public post although he has been under custody since the incident, Mezopotamya News Agency reported.

The former governor of Turkey's Kurdish-majority district of Gercus, Server Sinanoglu, was reportedly appointed as officer of legal affairs at the governor's office in the province of Corum.

Sinanoglu ran over and killed 13-year-old Muhammet Celik on 15 July while he was driving an official vehicle in the city of Bismil.

The governor was at first released, but was arrested upon a positive alcohol test following an objection to the release order by the lawyer of the victim's family.

The Turkish Interior Ministry released a statement after reactions on social media, saying that "Server Sinanoglu had been removed from active duty by the ministry" and that an investigation is still in progress.

The ministry made no further comment on Sinanoglu's official appointment to a new public post.