Kyrgyzstan: SCNS accused journalists of Radio Liberty of bribery

At a meeting of the parliamentary commission investigating the killing of Ayerken Saimaiti, Sagyn Samidin (head of the Investigative Department of the State Committee for National Security) said that the journalist of Radio Liberty, Ali Toktakunov, was paid $100 000 for his investigation of the withdrawal of $700 million from Kyrgyzstan.

“According to the testimonies of our witnesses, Saimaiti took advantage of Radio Liberty’s journalists. They were paid $100 000 for their work. There are two witnesses who confirm this fact,” said the head of the Investigative Department of the State Committee for National Security.

According to him, Saimaiti hired journalists to resolve the conflict with Khabibula Abdukadir and get his money back. According to the State Committee for National Security, there was a conflict between Abdukadir and Saimaiti. Abdukadir began to demand from Saimaiti about $3 million, which he allegedly owed him. Saimaiti, according to the State Committee for National Security, didn’t recognize the claim, saying that on the contrary, Abdukadir owes him this money.

“Saimaiti, in order to return his money from Khabibula, used various methods. There are several testimonies of witnesses. He hired journalists, there were attempts through them to put pressure on him,” Sagyn Samidin said.

Moreover, as reported, the State Committee hasn’t documents confirming the fact of the transfer of money to Ali Toktakunov.

“We will conduct a series of investigative measures and verify all the facts,” the head of the Investigative Department concluded.

Ali Toktakunov denies the fact of receiving money from Saimaiti, as an investigative journalist said in an interview with the TV channel “Nastoyashee vremya” [“The present”].

“I can say in court and in any place that I didn’t take a cent from Ayerken Saimaiti. Yes, I took hundreds of original documents from him, according to which we revealed a multilayered corruption scheme in Kyrgyzstan – money laundering, smuggling under cover of authoritative bodies. And the authorities still don’t take any legal measures. We want to draw the attention of society to this,” Toktakunov said.