Kyrgyzstan: Raiymbek Matraimov sues radio “Svoboda” and Shirin Aitmatova
Former Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Service (SCS) Raiymbek Matraimov said that he is suing the correspondent of radio “Svoboda” Ali Toktakunov, other media representatives, as well as former member of Parliament Shirin Aitmatova. He made such a statement after interrogation at the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The former deputy head of the SCS was summoned for interrogation on November 29, 2019. After five hours in the State Committee for National Security, he gave an interview to the information resource Kyrgyztoday. The video appeared on the Agency’s YouTube channel.
According to Matraimov, since August he has been abroad, where he was engaged in business issues. However, after the scandal with the withdrawal of $700 million from the country, in which his name appeared, he returned.
The former official told reporters that he was cooperating with the investigation to refute false information.
“I have nothing to do with even part of $700 million. I didn’t know the entrepreneur Saimaiti. Everything said about me is a lie. I sued the correspondent of Azattyk, Ali Toktakunov, other journalists and the ex-deputy of Parliament Shirin Aitmatova. Azattyk works at the international level, I am preparing a lawsuit at the same level,” the former official said.
He added that law enforcement authorities checked his property for seven months, but found nothing illegal.
“There were tax questions, but we refunded the indicated amount,” Matraimov said.
It should be noted that the name of Raiymbek Matraimov, known to the public as “Raiym Million” is mentioned in a journalistic investigation about the smuggling scheme at Kyrgyz customs. The materials claim that the Matraimov’s clan was conducting business with another influential clan – the family of Khabibula Abdukadir from China, as a result of which at least $700 million was withdrawn from the Republic. The investigation is based on the testimony of businessman Ayeken Saimaiti, who was killed on November 10 in Istanbul.
On December 6, the SCNS circulated a message that a pre-trial investigation into the killing of Saimaiti and a journalistic investigation was ongoing. The State Committee for National Security said earlier that journalists of radio “Svoboda”, some deputies and political activist Shirin Aitmatova were called for interrogation.
