SriLankan Airlines Airbus Procurement Probe: Progress Report Due on October 13

16-Jul-2026

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The Colombo Magistrate's Court has directed the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to submit a progress report on October 13 regarding the ongoing investigation into alleged bribery linked to the procurement of Airbus aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.

The order was issued when the case was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama on July 14.

During the hearing, CIABOC submitted a report outlining the progress of the investigation and requested a future date to update the court on further developments.

Counsel Udara Muhandiramage, appearing on behalf of businessman Nimal Perera, sought permission to address the court. However, the Magistrate observed that Perera had not been named as a suspect in the case and ruled that such submissions were unnecessary at this stage.

The court also noted that the first suspect in the case, former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena, had recently died under mysterious circumstances.

Arrest warrants have already been issued against the second suspect, Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayake, wife of Kapila Chandrasena, and the third suspect, Shamindra Rajapaksha, directing that they be arrested and produced before court.

After considering the submissions, the Magistrate ordered that the case be recalled on October 13 and directed CIABOC to submit a further progress report on the investigation on that date.