Oulu city council chair suspected of official offences

Oulu City Council Chair Lauri Nikula is suspected of official offences linked to the dismissal of the city’s former head of employment relations, Mauri Mikkola, Yle reports.

The suspected offences are abuse of public office and discrimination at work. Police have said the investigation concerns people who had the opportunity to dismiss Mikkola, including senior officials at the City of Oulu.

Nikula denies wrongdoing. He said the legality of the dismissal is still being assessed and that the case is pending before the Supreme Administrative Court after an appeal for leave to appeal was filed.

“Even if it were found that there was a procedural error and that the decision was unlawful, that would not make the dismissal a crime,” Nikula told Yle.

Nikula said he was surprised that a criminal investigation had been launched in connection with the dismissal. Oulu City Manager Ari Alatossava made the decision to dismiss Mikkola. The case was first reported by Kaleva.