Peacekeeper bribery case on appeal

Prosecution wants tougher sentence, defence wants leniency

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The case of two Finnish peacekeeping soldiers convicted last year of taking bribes while serving in Afghanistan has gone to the Helsinki Court of Appeals. The prosecution in the case is calling for tougher sentences, while the defence wants the prison sentences to be reduced.
     
Last summer Helsinki District Court handed down jail sentences against two men who had served in the Finnish crisis management forces in Afghanistan. They were convicted of aggravated bribery.
     The lower court found that the men had asked for and received tens of thousands of US dollars in bribes from local contractors in return for building contracts. The activities had taken place in 2004 - 2006.
     A 50-year-old man who served as an interpreter was sentenced to a year and six months. The other defendant, an engineer in his forties, got a year and three months.
     
The prosecutor feels that in light of the nature and seriousness of the crime, the two should get at least a two year sentence, and lose their military rank.
     The defence feels that the violations merit only a suspended sentence with certain possible additional consequences.
     
The investigation into the case revealed that the interpreter has a bank account in Germany containing more than EUR 400,000.
     Prosecutor Jouni Peräinen repeated the call expressed at the lower court level that the money should be forfeited to the state.
     The two have admitted to taking bribes, but less than the prosecution has claimed.
     The men also deny that the money had influenced which contractors were granted the projects. One of the two claimed that the payment of such incentives are how business is done in Afghanistan.
     
Meanwhile, four superior officers of the two are currently under investigation, suspected of having known about the bribery and ignoring or lying about it.
     Because of the high rank of the suspects, the next steps will be determined by Lieutenant-General Ari Puehloinen, head of the Defence Staff. He will decide if the matter will go to prosecutors, or if it will be dealt with through disciplinary action within the Defence Forces. The investigation into the matter is ready, and a decision could come in March.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Superior officer suspected of lying to police in Afghanistan bribery case (10.8.2007)
  Peacekeepers point fingers at each other at bribery trial (11.6.2007)
  Aamulehti: Several suspects in peacekeeping bribes scandal (1.6.2007)
  Two Finnish peacekeepers to go on trial for taking bribes in Afghanistan (29.5.2007)

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