The Helsinki Court of Appeal has released former police chief Jari Aarnio and an accomplice, former gang leader Keijo Vilhunen, pending their sentencing in the latest strand of a complex legal process.
These proceedings, dubbed the “barrel case” in the Finnish media, focus on allegations that the former Helsinki drug squad boss smuggled at least six barrels full of drugs into Finland. The main hearings in that case ended on Tuesday.
Aarnio has been demanding that he be freed from pre-trial detention.
The appellate court declared that regardless of the final outcome of the judicial process, it would be unreasonable to keep the defendant in detention, considering the expected duration of the pre-trial custody. Due to the complexity of the case, a ruling is not expected until next year.
First jailed five years ago
Prosecutors had opposed the release of Aarnio and Vilhunen.
The disgraced ex-cop was first remanded in pre-trial custody in 2013. He has denied any wrongdoing.
In December 2016, a district court sentenced Aarnio to 10 years in prison on a variety of charges, including aggravated drug offences and dereliction of official duties. Altogether he has been sentenced to 13 years behind bars. Vilhunen has also been handed a decade-long term for drug-related crimes.
Aarnio's lawyer, Riitta Leppiniemi, told Yle she was pleased with Tuesday's ruling.
"Since the appeals court decision will go into next year, the waiting time would have been unreasonably long. When you consider the length of his pre-trial detention, this is a fine decision," she said.
