A Helsinki taxi driver received a prison sentence for sexually assaulting two female passengers in separate incidents. Kwasi Agyemang, 46, attacked his victims after picking them up from central Helsinki nightlife districts. The assaults occurred in October 2021 and June 2023, with both women being intoxicated when they entered his vehicle.
In the first incident, Agyemang drove a passenger to a remote bus stop in Vantaa instead of her home address. He led her along a sandy path into nearby woods and assaulted her. After the attack, he returned her to his taxi and drove her home.
The second assault happened nearly two years later. Agyemang offered a ride to another intoxicated woman in central Helsinki. Rather than driving to her home, he took her to Tervasaari. During the journey, he began kissing and touching the woman after she fell asleep.
She woke during the assault and realized they weren't near her home. The woman repeatedly asked Agyemang to stop. He responded by telling her, "This won't take long." She escaped by jumping from the slowly moving vehicle and immediately called emergency services.
Police arrested Agyemang within 24 hours of the second assault, though he was released the following day. Prosecutors charged him with two counts of aggravated rape. The East Uusimaa District Court heard both cases.
Agyman denied all allegations and any sexual contact with the passengers. He claimed the women either provided wrong addresses or no addresses at all. The experienced taxi driver stated he was "always very careful" with customers because "they might go to the police the next day."
The court found Agyemang guilty of rape as described by prosecutors. Judges determined he had restrained the women and exploited their intoxicated state. Key evidence included the victims' consistent testimonies and location data from the taxi.
However, the court did not classify the assaults as aggravated offenses. Judges noted the attacks didn't last very long and occurred without witnesses. This distinction affected both the sentence and compensation amounts.
In March, the district court sentenced Agyemang to four years and one month in prison. He was ordered to pay 10,000 euros to his first victim and 5,400 euros to the second. The taxi driver appealed the verdict to the Helsinki Court of Appeal.
The appeal largely failed. The higher court maintained the original verdict and sentence without changes. However, judges dismissed the first victim's claim for acute stress reaction compensation, reducing Agyemang's payment obligation by 1,000 euros.
The Court of Appeal issued its decision on November 19th. This case highlights ongoing concerns about passenger safety in Nordic taxi services. Both assaults followed similar patterns of targeting intoxicated women from nightlife areas.
Finland's legal system typically imposes strict penalties for sexual offenses. The four-year sentence reflects the serious nature of these crimes despite the court not classifying them as aggravated. The case has prompted discussions about taxi industry regulations and passenger protection measures.
International visitors should remain aware of transportation safety when using taxi services in Nordic countries. Most services are safe and reliable, but passengers should verify driver identification and share trip details with others.
The conviction demonstrates that Nordic justice systems take sexual assault allegations seriously, even when cases lack physical evidence or witnesses. The court relied heavily on victim testimony and digital evidence to reach its verdict.