SSU General Duka in court: "For me, ₴100 million is like bail with no alternative; I won’t pay it". VIDEO&PHOTOS

During a hearing to determine pre-trial restrictions for SSU General Serhii Duka, a suspect in the "Carthage" case, he said he could not pay UAH 100 million in bail and had no intention of fleeing abroad. According to him, his detention is "revenge" by the NABU director.

Censor.NET reports.

Details of the hearing

The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) is considering a motion by a Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) prosecutor to recuse Judge Voronko from the hearing on pre-trial restrictions for a suspect in the "Carthage" case. Prosecutor Karas believes the court is delaying consideration of the case. The hearing is being held behind closed doors, with journalists barred from attending.

The prosecutor also said that armed individuals threatened NABU detectives during the search, while Duka allegedly smashed phones with an axe to destroy evidence. He is asking the court to remand the suspect in custody with bail set at UAH 100 million.

Duka himself says the prosecution is delaying the hearing. According to him, the judges were ready to hear the case at 10 a.m., but the SAPO prosecutor arrived at 2 p.m.

According to the prosecutor, the defense requested a closed hearing, citing an SBU letter to the court concerning an alleged threat of a terrorist attack. However, the prosecutor was not given an opportunity to examine the document.

The prosecutor did not rule out that the SBU might attempt to use force to "retrieve" Duka and continue shielding him from investigators and the court tomorrow, when the period for which he may be held in custody expires at 1 p.m., three days after his detention, unless the court imposes a pre-trial measure by then.

Duka tells court he does not have UAH 100 million for bail

Duka said he was ready to testify and had no intention of leaving the country. According to him, bail of UAH 100 million is effectively equivalent to detention without the option of bail.

Duka also gave his account of the search. He claims that at around 5:20 a.m., NABU detectives tried to climb over the fence, triggering the security system. According to him, the Alpha personnel guarding him only established about an hour later that the individuals were NABU officers.

Duka insists that he would have let the detectives in had they contacted him at the gate and informed him of the search warrant. Earlier, the SAPO prosecutor said armed individuals had aimed laser sights at the detectives while Duka, according to the prosecution, was smashing phones with an axe.

Duka told the court: "My detention is revenge by the NABU director for serving him with a notice of suspicion and for the searches conducted at NABU employees’ premises last year."

Duka added that he was ready to cooperate with the investigation and had served for 26 years.

NABU's Operation "Carthage"

NABU earlier reported that a senior Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) official was threatening to use a weapon and obstructing a search.
The Bureau subsequently said that NABU and SAPO had exposed a criminal organization that systematically bribed senior SSU, National Police, and prosecution officials to provide "protection" for fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses.
NABU said that the "Carthage" investigation had exposed a criminal organization whose members had arranged systematic bribes to senior law enforcement officials to ensure the unhindered operation of fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses.
It was subsequently reported that anti-corruption authorities had detained General Serhii Duka, first deputy head of the SSU's Department for the Protection of National Statehood.
SSU chief Oleksandr Poklad dismissed two senior Service officials implicated in NABU's investigation under Operation "Carthage." He also suggested that a suspect in the case known as "Mexican" return to Ukraine and surrender to law enforcement.
NABU and SAPO named five suspects in providing cover for illegal businesses. Those implicated include senior Security Service of Ukraine and National Police officials.
The main suspects in the case were remanded in custody without bail on November 5–6.