SriLankan Airlines Airbus Procurement Fraud: Samal Rajapaksa Gives Statement

09-Sep-2026

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Former Speaker Samal Rajapaksa appeared before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on September 8 to provide a statement in connection with an alleged fraud involving the procurement of Airbus aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.

Rajapaksa appeared before the Commission, located on Malalasekera Mawatha, Colombo 7, on September 8. Officials questioned him for approximately one and a half hours and recorded his statement.

He appeared before the Commission in response to a notice issued to him and left after providing his statement.

Meanwhile, former MP and National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Namal Rajapaksa, was arrested by CIABOC officers last Friday in connection with the controversial Airbus transaction and has been remanded until September 18 on a court order.

It is also noteworthy that the former Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines, who had earlier been arrested in connection with the case and subsequently released on bail, died by suicide at his residence in the Kollupitiya area.