Prosecutor seeks fines for six NCOs in Kouvola accused of harassing recruits

A prosecutor is seeking fines for six non-commissioned officers (NCOs) who served in Kouvola, accused of harassing recruits at their garrison. The cases are currently being heard in Kymenlaakso District Court. According to the prosecutor, some of the NCOs excessively ordered recruits to perform push-ups during cleaning duties. If recruits wanted to buy drinks from a vending machine, the NCOs demanded that they purchase bottles for them as well.

One NCO faces additional charges of assault, having allegedly kicked a recruit in the ankle during an organized activity. The recruit’s ankle was bruised and swollen, with evidence supported by witness testimony and a photograph of the injury. This same NCO reportedly made recruits squat and pretend to be sauna stoves, hissing as if water was being thrown onto the oven — a punishment that could last for up to an hour. During one such incident, the NCO was quoted saying, “All that’s missing is beer and whores.”

Furthermore, the NCO insisted he should be greeted with a Nazi salute in the garrison hallways and once put sand in a recruit’s bed. The accused NCO denies kicking the recruit but admits to having “tapped” him with his foot. He recognizes that he ordered recruits to squat and used inappropriate language.

The charges include abuse of authority and service crimes, affecting 12 complainants. The incidents occurred between July and August 2023. The prosecutor is demanding at least 50 day-fines for the NCO facing assault charges, while the others are expected to receive fines ranging from 20 to 25 day-fines. The court previously ruled on a similar case involving a student officer who had one recruit crawling and called him a rapist, resulting in fines for the officer.