Municipal policy Vantaa-based municipal politician on charges of a serious financial crime – “I am innocent”

Vantaa member of the Audit Board Manav Phull (kok) is charged with aggravated embezzlement. Phull is a city councilor and sits on the Education and Learning Board in addition to the Inspection Board.

The District Court of Western Uusimaa was due to deliver its judgment today, but the decision was postponed until 12 January 2022. The prosecutor demands that Phull be sentenced to at least 6 to 7 months in probation.

Entrepreneur, CEO Manav Phull, 42, denied the charge in court.

He told Helsingin Sanomat on Friday that the charge and the grounds for the charge were incorrect.

According to the prosecutor, Phull and his business partner have jointly seized restaurant equipment worth approximately EUR 18,000 owned by Nordea Tukirahoitus Oy.

Phull was authorized to enter into a leasing agreement for restaurant equipment, after which Support Fund had terminated the leasing agreement for restaurant equipment due to unpaid payments, the prosecutor said.

According to the prosecutor, Phull and the business partner did not return the entire restaurant equipment to the company in question.

The prosecutor considered the embezzlement to be aggravated because the object of the embezzlement has been very valuable property and the events as a whole must also be considered aggravated.

Manav Phull says the events are backed by a deal where he and his business partner resold the restaurant to new owners. According to Phull, it was clearly agreed in the deal that the restaurant equipment was leased and the rent was to be paid by the buyer.

“Then the buyer didn’t pay the rent, even though it belonged to him. The leasing company was not in any way, either, ”says Phull.

Municipal councilors prosecuted for various crimes from time to time, but for serious financial crimes very rarely. The financial crime charge received by Manav Phull is exceptional because he is a member of the board of directors of the finances of his own municipality.

The charge against Phull was filed a year ago in December, meaning he got the charge before the 2021 municipal election nomination. Phull ran for office, knowing about the police investigation and prosecution.

“I told the Vantaa Coalition about it and left for the candidate and the boards because this accusation is false,” Phull said on Friday.

Helsingin Sanomat investigated all the final criminal convictions of the municipal candidates in the Helsinki metropolitan area before the elections. No charges were reported in the HS investigation.

Read more: “Ridiculous title” – The search engine shows what crimes the municipal election candidates in the Helsinki metropolitan area have been convicted of

Audit Board is a municipal trust body with exceptionally large decision – making powers.

According to the Association of Finnish Municipalities, instead of the municipal government, the audit committee prepares matters concerning the administration and finances for the council. The board thus has exceptional power at the level of the municipal government.

The preparatory responsibility of the Audit Board is an exception to the preparatory responsibility of the municipal government.

Audit Board The most important task is to assess whether the operational and financial objectives set by the council have been achieved in the municipality and the municipal group and whether the operations have been organized in an efficient and appropriate manner and to assess the financial balance, the Association of Local Authorities says.

The Audit Committee also monitors compliance with the obligations to declare interests and notifies the Board.

Vantaa The Education and Learning Board is responsible for the organization and development of early childhood education and pre-school education, support for home and private childcare, basic education and upper secondary and vocational education.

Phull was elected to both boards last summer after the municipal elections.