Ranua councillors avoid sanctions over suspected confidential information leak

Three Ranua municipal councillors will face no sanctions after an investigation into the suspected disclosure of confidential information, Yle reports. The municipality’s board found no grounds to conclude that Ulla Ilvesluoto, Petri Manninen or Mikko Sarajärvi had committed an offence in office.

The councillors submitted written explanations about their conduct and possible involvement in handing over confidential information. The board reached its decision after reviewing those explanations.

The investigation was linked in part to an article in Lapin Kansa about confidential preparations for the possible sale of Ranua’s animal park. The article named Ilvesluoto, Manninen and Sarajärvi. According to the municipal board, the information published by Lapin Kansa may have concerned non-public preparations and confidential information.

However, the board reprimanded the councillors, saying their conduct had, based on the explanations received, been liable to create confusion about the proper handling and disclosure of confidential information.