Security Service Officers Reportedly Told to Chip In for General Duka's Bail
Regional officers of Ukraine's Security Service (SSU) are reportedly being asked to pay UAH 50,000–150,000 towards bail for General Serhii Duka, a suspect in the Carthage case involving a criminal organisation.
Regional officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) are being told to transfer money towards bail for General Serhii Duka, a suspect in the Carthage case who is accused of involvement in a criminal organisation. Ukrainska Pravda reported this, citing sources in law enforcement agencies.
According to the sources, instructions to contribute to Duka's bail are circulating at the SSU's Main Directorate D and its Main Directorate for Counterintelligence Protection of State Interests in the Sphere of Economic Security. Operational officers must each pay UAH 50,000 (about US$1,100). For sector and department heads and their deputies, the amount rises to UAH 150,000 (US$3,300). One source said officers have to send the money, take a screenshot of the receipt and pass it to their superior. The department head then compiles a list and reports to Kyiv.
On 7 November, Ukrainska Pravda reported that a message urging SSU staff to contribute to a collection for Duka's bail was being circulated.
The Carthage case
On 4 November, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) served notices of suspicion on five members of a criminal organisation in the Carthage case, Duka among them. Investigators believe the group regularly bribed senior law enforcement officials to turn a blind eye to scam call centres and other illegal businesses.
Another suspect, National Police official Volodymyr Tsenov, was remanded in custody with the option of bail; US$330,000 was paid for him on 6 November. Vitalii "Boxer" Rybalko was remanded in custody without the option of bail.
Oleksandr Abakumov, head of the NABU detective unit, said Duka had threatened NABU detectives with a gun and smashed equipment with a hammer during a search of his property. Officers from the SSU's Alpha special forces unit attempted to get him out.
On 6 November, journalists were barred from the courtroom while the High Anti-Corruption Court considered a pre-trial restriction for Duka, though they could watch a livestream in a separate room. Later that day the court ordered Duka held in custody and set bail at UAH 65 million (US$1.4 million).
