Former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena Gets Bail

COLOMBO (News 1st); Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court ordered to release on bail of former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena, who had been held in remand custody, in connection with investigations into alleged irregularities relating to the procurement of Airbus aircraft.

The order was made when the case was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama. The case had been listed today (5)for the court to deliver its determination on a bail application made on behalf of the suspect on the previous date.

Delivering the order, the Chief Magistrate said the current status of the case and the special circumstances presented by the President’s Counsel appearing for the suspect had been taken into consideration in deciding to grant bail.

Accordingly, Chandrasena was released on a cash bail of Rs. 500,000 and three surety bails of Rs. 10 million each. The court also imposed a foreign travel ban and directed the suspect to surrender his passport to the court.

Presenting submissions on the progress of investigations, an officer of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption informed the court that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne and Willy Gamage had been summoned to the Commission in relation to the ongoing probe.

Stating that further investigations are continuing, the investigating officer requested court to fix a future date to report progress.

After considering the submissions, the Chief Magistrate ordered the case to be called again on July 14.

Kapila Chandrasena was arrested and remanded in connection with alleged irregularities in the procurement of Airbus aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.

The Bribery Commission is conducting investigations into transactions linked to agreements entered into for the purchase of six Airbus aircraft in 2014 and seven Airbus aircraft in 2017 for SriLankan Airlines.