Kyrgyzstan has closed a money laundering case against former deputy chief of customs Raimbek Matraimov and released him from custody, putting an end to the investigation of a corruption scandal that marked last year’s election and made him hand over more than US$24 million to the country’s budget.

A Bishkek court has put Raimbek Matraimov, former deputy head of the Kyrgyzstan’s Customs Service, in pre-trial detention on Saturday, after the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) rearrested him last week.