The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) selected a precautionary measure in the form of detention for 60 days, with the possibility of posting bail in the amount of 20 million hryvnia, for Yryna Mudra, the former deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. The decision was made following a multi-day hearing that began on Friday, August 21, and continued on August 24 and 25. The case is being examined as part of the large-scale law-enforcement special operation "Forrest Gump," aimed at eliminating high-level corruption.
Course of the hearings and the defense's position
At the first session, Mudra's defense requested that the proceedings be held in closed session, citing the possible disclosure of private information about the suspect's family life, but the HACC rejected this motion. The lawyers also asked to postpone the hearing by a week due to their client's deteriorating health; the court granted this request only partially, moving the defense's statement to August 24. Thus, the proceedings were not halted entirely, but their key stages were distributed between August 24 and 25.
Mudra's own reaction to the bail
In response to a question about whether she has 20 million hryvnia to post bail, Mudra stated that she has some of her own funds and also counts on the support of acquaintances and friends. "I have many friends and many contacts. I'll remind you how old I am. Over that time, I've gathered quite a few contacts," she said in court. This statement underscores that the question of her release on bail remains open and will depend on the actual collection of the required amount.
Details of the "Forrest Gump" case
On August 19, the NABU and the SAPO notified Mudra of suspicion as part of the "Forrest Gump" special operation. According to the investigation, this concerns a criminal group among senior officials of the Office of the President, current and former Members of Parliament, and the head of a state bank. Law-enforcement officials claim that the group organized the laundering of 150 million hryvnia in cash: the funds were deposited through shell companies into accounts to pay bail for one of the organization's members in the "Midas" case. The name "Gerhan" appears in the published recordings of conversations, and the amount matches the bail for former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Dismissal and the president's reaction
On the same day, August 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree dismissing Yryna Mudra from the position of deputy head of the Office of the President, where she was responsible, among other things, for justice, legal policy, and coordinating work with international courts. Commenting on the case to journalists, Zelensky noted that he learned the details together with the public, but the disclosed facts were sufficient for an immediate decision to remove Mudra from her post.
