Kokoomus MP faces further probe into inapt behaviour to women

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has started a new investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavious to women by opposition Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) lawmaker Wille Rydman.

The police suspect Rydman of a sex-related crime without mentioning the name of the suspect but pointed out that the new investigation concerned a lawmaker who resigned from a parliamentary group in last month, said NBI in a press release on Friday afternoon.

“The preliminary investigation has been opened as the police got new information and interviewed persons who were not interviewed in the previous preliminary investigation conducted in 2020,” said the press release, adding that police found ground to suspect the person of crime based on the new information.

Earlier in June, a Finnish language leading newspaper Helsingin Sanomat published a report saying that several women accused the MP of his moves to get access to young women and girls using his political identity.

The NBI started to probe into the matter in 2020 following a 17-year-old girl raised the issue through contacting a sex victim helpline.

According to the Helsingin Sanomat report, several women told the newspaper that the 36-year old lawmaker offered them drinks and alcohol even to underage girls.

The NBI, however, that time did not find any evidence of crime in this connection.

But after publishing the news report Rydman resigned from the parliamentary group of the party on June 21.

He made the announcement of resignation after a meeting with party Chairman Petteri Orpo and chair of the parliamentary group Kai Mykkänen.