Ex-First Lady Raisa Atambayeva says she is being probed

AKIPRESS.COM - Raisa Atambayeva, wife of ex-President Almazbek Atambayev, says that a criminal probe was launched against her in connection with the case of Manas Arabayev.
"I've never meddled in judicial affairs. I always knew how dirty politics is and was never involved in it. I don't even know the locations of courts, never met any judge in my life," she said on August 16 at the building of the National Security Committee, which is hosting a court proceeding on Atambayev's detention.
Manas Arabayev, ex-head of the judicial reform department of the President's Office, was reported to give testimony against Raisa Atambayeva. Arabayev was detained on June 2 on suspicion of corruption as part of the operation to suppress persons involved in takeover of business objects of foreign investors abusing their official powers.
Arabayev, 41, was appointed head of the judicial reform department of the President's Office on 5 February 2015 by then-president Almazbek Atambayev. On 9 February 2018, he was re-appointed to the post by president Sooronbai Jeenbekov. On 15 May 2018, Jeenbekov sacked him.
In August 2018, Arabayev was reported to have allegedly influenced the Kyrgyz judges' decisions while heading the department of judicial reform of the President's Office.
Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek released Manas Arabayev from detention on July 5 under house arrest.