Investigation request by Ojala regarding Mölsä dismissed by police in Punkalaitunen

The request for investigation made by Tuija Ojala, the mayor of Punkalaitunen, regarding former MP Martti Mölsä did not lead to a preliminary inquiry. The Police Department of Central Finland reported that there was no basis for investigation in Mölsä’s social media posts. Ojala reported Mölsä’s behavior to the police last December and also filed a harassment complaint against two municipal officials, Ari Prihti and Jani Lintunen. This stemmed from discussions in a local Facebook group, where Ojala claimed that Mölsä, Prihti, and Lintunen threatened and targeted her.

The subjects of the investigation request and harassment complaint dismissed the mayor’s accusations as unfounded. Crime Commissioner Panu Rautio stated that the request was briefly assessed by the police but they decided against initiating a full investigation. The police found the issues pertained to workplace behavior and conflicts, indicating management has a responsibility to address misconduct.

Rautio noted that the possibility of defamation was considered, emphasizing that public figures must be able to withstand critical opinions about their actions. Mölsä served as an MP from 2011 to 2019 with the True Finns and later with the Blue Reform party. He is currently retired. Jani Lintunen became a member of the Punkalaitunen municipal council at the end of last year and is involved in technical and building oversight committees, while Ari Prihti serves as a council member and vice-chair of the audit committee.

The controversy stemmed from a discussion about Lintunen receiving the “Entrepreneur of the Year” award, which Ojala did not attend. Mölsä shared an old article criticizing a past mayor for missing local business events, prompting criticism of Ojala’s relationship with the business community. Ojala announced last year she would leave her position by November 2024, a decision she said was unrelated to the social media controversy. Tiina Pelkonen has already begun her role as the new mayor.