For former senior SBU official Serhiy Duka, who is a defendant in the “Carthage” case, UAH 44 million of bail were paid. The funds came from 1 113 payers.
This was reported by the SAPO prosecutor Mykola Karas, Radio Liberty writes.
According to Karas, the bail amounts were different: some paid UAH 10-20 000, others UAH 100-150 000. At the same time, the SAPO prosecutor did not specify who exactly paid the money.
In total, the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) of Ukraine set the bail for Duka at UAH 65 million. The former SBU official said during the hearing that he was unable to pay such a sum. Dukaʼs open letter from the pre-trial detention center, which his lawyer Yuriy Sukhov published on Facebook, stated that the investigation against him could be revenge on the part of NABU.
What is Duka accused of?
Serhiy Duka is a Major General and former Deputy Head of the Department for the Protection of National Statehood of the Security Service of Ukraine.
On November 4, anti-corruption authorities reported that they had uncovered another criminal group as part of Operation “Carthage". According to them, its members were involved in fraudulent call centers, drug trafficking, counterfeiting euros, abduction and beating people to order, and other crimes.
According to the investigation, current high-ranking officials of SBU, the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office, the National Police, and representatives of the criminal environment were involved in the criminal activity. In particular, among the defendants was Duka, who is referred to as "Akim" in the case materials.
The investigation believes that Duka covered up the activities of a criminal organization and helped its leader Andriy Osipov (nicknamed “Criminal”) resolve issues in SBU and the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office. He is charged with participation in a criminal organization using his official position.
During the search at Duka, according to representatives of NABU and SAPO, the detectives were threatened with weapons, and the general himself tried to destroy the phones.
In total, there were 12 participants in the case, four of whom were detained and taken into preventive custody. In a letter from the pre-trial detention center, published by his lawyer, Duka stated that he does not admit guilt and considers the investigation against him to be revenge on the part of NABU.
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