Govt dismisses convicted prosecutor general

The government on Thursday dismissed the state prosecutor Matti Nissinen, after he had been fined by the Supreme Court late last year for negligence of duty through taking part in procuring services from a company controlled by his brother.

The Minister for Justice Antti Hakkanen said that "particular impeccability" should be required from the state prosecutor.

The Ministry of Justice had concluded that Nissinen was no longer credible in supervising the country's prosecutors or able to be exemplary on ethical issues.

Hakkanen said careful consideration was needed as in this case political decision makers were dismissing a high ranking judicial branch official. But the conclusion was that dismissal of Nissinen was "the only alternative in this unusual situation," Hakkanen said.

Nissinen had returned to work after he was suspended from his duties during the trial last year.

As a career civil servant, Nissinen will enjoy a six months termination period with full salary, but he will no longer carry out his duties. He can appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court if he chooses so.