The police suspect eight people of official crimes in Central Ostrobothnia. According to the Kokkola Vede waterworks management board, the investigation boils down to the previous manager.
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I'm cooking The former director of the waterworks of Veden Esa Jokelaa is suspected of taking a bribe and abusing official position in 2018–2021.
Jokela did not want to comment on the matter to HS.
The Ostrobothnia police said earlier on Wednesday that a total of eight people are suspected of official crimes in Central Ostrobothnia. Three of these have worked at Kokkola Water, says the chairman of the water utility board Jukka Ylikarjula. Today, they have retired or moved on to other positions.
“As the water utility board, we have heard these three people. After all, it boils down to the previous director of the waterworks,” says Ylikarjula.
The other suspects are related to companies from which Kokkola Vesi has made purchases.
Kokkola Water is an independent business owned by the city of Kokkola. The administration of Kokkola Water is handled by the water utility board under the city government.
Police received a request for an investigation into the operations of the business in June 2022. The request for an investigation came from within the business, says the head of the investigation, the crime commissioner Sakari Palomäki.
According to Ylikarjula, the water utility board filed a request for an investigation when the new board members noticed at the end of 2021 that everything in the accounting did not match.
Based on the investigation request, construction services and other services have been ordered in the operations of the business in the years 2018–2021 for about half a million euros. About half of these, or about 250,000 euros, are suspected to have been made without tendering. According to Palomäki, construction services have mostly been ordered without tendering.
In addition, the activity is suspected to be related to ambiguities in the invoicing of construction sites and the giving and receiving of other financial benefits.
“We have ordered work and received something in return,” says Palomäki.
He does not reveal in more detail what bribes the officials may have received.
“We are talking about the value of thousands of euros [lahjuksia].”
Police investigates the case under several criminal headings: aggravated abuse of official position, aggravated bribery, aggravated fraud, accepting a bribe, abuse of official position and abuse of trust.
In addition, five persons have been investigated in order to impose a business ban. An investigation can be conducted if a crime is suspected in the company's operations.
The police said earlier that by the decision of the Ostrobothnia district court, the proceeds of crime have been ordered to be seized as collateral for approximately 120,000 euros.
According to Palomäki, the Ostrobothnia police investigate about 5–10 corrupt cases each year. Usually, the number of suspects is smaller and the list of crimes is shorter.
“This case is quite big. Clearly the biggest and perhaps the most difficult of the last couple of years,” says Palomäki.
In April 2022 started as a water utility manager Minna Väisänen stresses that when he started, he has started various development measures.
Väisänen does not want to comment on the police investigation. However, he says that finishing the preliminary investigation is a relief.
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