Finland Times

 

Anneli Auer at Satakunta district court. File Photo – Lehtkuva.

A total of 55 people, mostly policemen and a few other officials, have been accused of the unauthorised viewing of information on Anneli Auer, said the head of the prosecution team, Hannele Selin-Hakala.

 

The suspects are from police stations across the country.

 

“They are mainly police officers, but there are also a few other officials and guards,” said Selin-Hakala.

 

The suspects have been accused of breach of official duty or negligent violation of official duty. Most of them have denied the crimes.

 

Thirteen of the suspects are from the Helsinki region, 15 from Pirkanmaa and Central Finland, and the rest are spread fairly evenly across the country, said Selin-Hakala.

 

Auer was first convicted of killing her husband by a lower court in 2010 and received a life sentence. However, a higher court in 2011 dismissed the charges for lack of evidence. The Finnish Supreme Court then sent the case back to the lower court, as the prosecution said it had found new evidence. 

 

An unusual murder case wherein the alleged murderer purportedly confessed to the crime but was acquitted ended up in a second acquittal after two rounds in the Finnish court system.

 

Anneli Auer was cleared of the murder charges after a second trial in the western town of Ulvila in 2006 and a second appeal to a higher court.

 

The court of appeals in Vaasa stated on February 18, 2015 that the accused was being acquitted on the ground of insufficient investigation.