Court hears case of Rovaniemi nighttime sword attack after victim was mistaken for another man

Three men aged 20, 30, and 38 face charges of attempted murder and preparation of a serious assault in Rovaniemi District Court on Tuesday, following a sword attack in the city centre last month, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports.

The victim, struck with a katana-style sword outside the Pisto restaurant on Korkalonkatu street in the early hours of 13 March, sustained severe injuries. Investigators later determined the attackers had mistaken him for a different man—both the injured victim and the intended target are now listed as aggrieved parties in the case.

Two of the three suspects remain in pre-trial detention. Prosecutors have dropped charges against a fourth individual who was present in the vehicle used by the group. Police questioned five people in connection with the attack, with two arrests made in early April.

According to the investigation, four individuals arrived by taxi in central Rovaniemi on the night of the assault. Shortly after, one of them attacked the victim with the sword, believing him to be someone else. Katana-style blades, often referred to as “samurai swords,” are legally available for purchase in Finland through specialised online retailers.

Authorities have not disclosed why the third suspect was not detained or whether they have since been taken into custody.