Former MP and former head of the state-run Slot Machine Association (RAY) Jukka Vihriälä is accused of accepting bribes, while current Centre Party MP Antti Kaikkonen faces charges of abusing a position of trust. Kaikkonen served as the chair of the Youth Foundation in 2003-2007.
Seven other members of the Youth Foundation’s board received the same charges.
According to the prosecution, the non-profit housing agency funded political campaigns of Centre Party members to the tune of some 90,000 euros in 2002-2007, even though such use of money violated the Foundation’s own rules.
The accused have denied any wrongdoing.
Former Centre premier Matti Vanhanen was embroiled in the same funding scandal, but parliament decided in February that there were insufficient grounds for prosecution in his case.
Kiviniemi: individual cases
Commenting on the case, Centre Party Chairperson, Mari Kiviniemi reminded the charges were against individuals and not the party. She reminded that similar cases had taken place in other political parties.
Kiviniemi said it was now important the legal process took its course. In her view, parliamentarian Antti Kaikkonen could continue in his post while proceedings were taking place.