Finland's Supreme Court has thrown out a lower court's conviction of a man for aiding and abetting the attempted murder of Pekka Kataja, a Finns Party election manager, in Central Finland in 2020.
In early 2023, the Vaasa Court of Appeal previously convicted Juha Lindroos on that charge as well as aggravated breach of domestic peace, handing him a six-year prison sentence. Before the case was appealed, Central Finland District Court had dismissed the charges in 2021.
In its ruling, the appeals court said it considered the attack was politically motivated.
Violent attack
Kataja was attacked at his home in Jämsänkoski in the summer of 2020 by two unknown individuals who struck him around the head around 20 times, possibly with a hammer, caving in his skull. The assailants claimed to be delivering a package to Kataja in order to gain entry to his flat.
According to the Supreme Court, the defendant handed over his car to unknown individuals who were on their way to assault Kataja. However, the court noted that it was not known whether Lindroos knew that they were about to carry out the attack, adding that he could not have thought that was likely.
The Supreme Court also said that, based on Lindroos' fingerprints on the package used by the assailants, it could not be determined under what circumstances the package ended up in their hands.
The high court also noted that the context in which Lindroos lent the car had not been proven. In testimony during the previous trials, Lindroos denied that the assailants had used his vehicle.
Additionally, there was no evidence of discussion regarding planned violence in communications with Lindroos, the Supreme Court found.
It said that it had not been proven that Lindroos intended to take part in the violent crime.
The Supreme Court, however, agreed with the lower court that the attack was politically motivated.
Authorities have still been unable to determine who attacked Kataja. Police have said that it is possible that other individuals were also involved.
"Zero trust" in judicial system
The victim of the attack, Kataja, said he found the Supreme Court's decision to be incomprehensible, adding that he wonders what kind of evidence would have been enough to uphold the conviction.
"My trust in the justice system is absolutely zero. The position of victims in Finland is non-existent," he said.
The defendant, Lindroos, was released from prison following an interim decision by the Supreme Court last autumn. According to Kataja, that development triggered post-traumatic symptoms.
"I have been on continuous sick leave since then. I am completely unable to work," Kataja said, adding that the entire ordeal has been difficult because the legal process took years.
In his opinion, the length of the trials were unreasonable.
"The victim has to live in uncertainty for years — especially when there is no final resolution to the case. I don't wish the same fate on anyone," he said.
Despite feelings of bitterness towards the court system, Kataja praised how police handled the case.
Now that Lindroos' case has reached its end, Kataja acknowledged that there was nothing more to do.
If new evidence were to surface, the case could be reopened, but Kataja said hope should not be kept alive without reason.
Edited to add Kataja's reaction to the Supreme Court decision.