The next local leader suspected in corruption

Photo: Elmo Riig / Sakala

On Tuesday, Central Criminal Police apprehended Tõnu Kiviloo (49), mayor of Kõpu rural municipality of Viljandi County, as suspect in corruption. To the knowledge of Postimees, the man stands accused in transactions with companies linked to himself, amounting to violation of procedural restriction as prescribed by Penal Code.

In its comments, Southern District Prosecutor’s Office, remained rather vague. «We confirm that, on January 14^th, officials of Central Criminal Police corruption crimes bureau apprehended Kõpu commune mayor Tõnu Kiviloo, as suspect,» said prosecutor’s office press secretary Kristina Kostina.

According to her, several searches were performed yesterday in Kõpu commune and Viljandi County. «The searches are related to illegal activity by Tõnu Kiviloo who is suspected in criminal official misconduct,» said the press secretary.

Mr Kiviloo, educated as business manager, is born in Tallinn. For years, however, he has led the Kõpu commune of some 700 inhabitants, sitting on boards of several enterprises linked to himself – the most well-known of these being Lete Kaubandus, operating a shop at Kõpu, and Kõpu Kõrtsitalu, offering accommodation and catering services in the same settlement.

The business-minded Mr Kiviloo was threatened by criminal punishment for criminal official conduct nine years ago already, as he stood accused for the commune agencies – school, kindergarten, and nursing home – had purchased goods from the Kõpu shop belonging to commune mayor.

Over five years, such bills amounted to about 100,000 Estonian kroons; after salaries and other expenses, the so-called corrupt income boiled down to a couple of thousand kroons. For that reason, the prosecutor’s office came to the conclusion, in 2005, that necessary elements of a criminal offence were missing, in activities by Mr Kiviloo; the man, in their opinion, was worthy to be punished by police for misdemeanour.

At the latest local elections, Mr Kiviloo run in the ranks of election coalition Kodukant Kõpu, ending up in council with 54 votes. 

Over these past years, several local leaders have come under preliminary investigation. Before Mr Kiviloo, Central Criminal Police has apprehended people like the Ida-Viru County Lohusuu commune council chairman Toivo Kivi and Peeter Reimann – Vändra commune mayor of Pärnu County. Both were suspected in corruption.

As explained by Central Criminal Police corruption crimes bureau chief Mati Ombler, the search is still on to obtain additional evidence in the Mr Kiviloo case.

«Regrettably, corruption as a concealed form of crime is still quite frequent in local governments, as evidenced by various earlier investigations in places like Lohusuu, Vändra, Kallaste or Mustvee,» said he.

According to Mr Ombler, the bureau will keep on actively preventing and detecting corruption in the land. «To avoid corruption, I advise that all local governments make the decision-making process as transparent as possible,» he added.

All who possess information regarding possible acts of corruption are asked by police to contact corruption crimes bureau of Central Criminal Police.