Finland Times

 

The trial of the murder of elderly patient against the Nurse in the court. File Photo – Lehtikuva.

A nurse charged with murder and attempted murders was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday by the Southwest Finland District Court for taking advantage of the relationship between himself and an elderly patient and creating an unsafe environment.

 

According to the court, the 84-year-old woman's nurse, Lembit Kapanen, poisoned the woman by giving her un-prescribed medicine last fall in Salo. Kapanen acquired the medicine through a fake prescription.

 

According to the district court, the man's motive was monetary gain, as he was in dire straits financially, and also to cover up previous financial irregularities. For example, in the victim's will, Kapanen was marked as the sole beneficiary. According to witnesses, the elderly woman was both fond of and dependent on Kapanen.

 

The investigation into criminal activity actually started when the victim's relatives began to inquire about the victim's finances after her death. The suspicion of foul play arose during these investigations, and the head of the investigation called in forensic support.

 

"It's scary to think that such a thing can happen. In this case, the cause of death was eventually discovered, but is it possible that other similar homicides remain hidden? The risk of oversight is already there, when it's assumed that an elderly person simply died from old age," said prosecutor Heli Haapalehto.

 

Kapanen's lawyer Matti Alasentie told reporters that his client is very disappointed and bewildered by the verdict. According to Alasentie, Kapanen immediately announced that he would be applying for an appeal when he heard the court's decision.

 

"My client could not understand at all why he received such judgment. He said that a deep injustice had happened in the district court. He says that there was no murder done, nor was it attempted," Alasentie said.

 

According to the court, the convicted nurse's actions were preceded by diverse preparations. For example, the man made online searches for information about the drugs that killed the woman shortly before she died.

 

According to the defence, the death of the old woman could have been a suicide, a premise the court rejects. According to the court, Kapanen claims to be the only person whom the victim told about her depression shortly before her death.

 

According to witnesses, she was alert and zestful.

 

In the proceedings, Kapanen denied the charges and stated that the money he withdrew from the woman's accounts were a loan, which he intended to pay back. According to Kapanen, the woman's will was drawn up at her request, not his.

 

Both Kapanen and his former girlfriend were found guilty of fraud.  According to the court, Kapanen had falsified names on diplomas issued by the Soviet Union, so that they could study nursing in Finland.

 

Kapanen was convicted of nine criminal offenses. In addition to murder and three counts of attempted murder, he was convicted of counterfeiting and two felony counts of forgery, unlicensed practice of a healthcare profession and felony price gouging.

 

The court dismissed two counts of theft and one felony theft.

 

Kapanen's ex-girlfriend was sentenced to a year's probation for felony forgery, unlicensed practice of a healthcare profession, as well as concealment of felony crimes. The court dismissed one count of felony theft.

 

The woman was not accused of homicide.