Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa appeared before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption to record a statement in connection with an alleged US$2 million bribe linked to the purchase of Airbus aircraft.
Rajapaksa has been called before the Commission based on revelations made by Kapila Chandrasena, the former Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines and the main suspect in the related case, who alleged that Rs. 60 million from the alleged bribe money was handed over to Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne, and former SriLankan Airlines board member Willy Gamage have been summoned to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
Willy Gamage appeared before the Commission on Monday (11), provided a statement, and left the premises.
The bribery investigation relates to a transaction proposed during 2012–2013, where SriLankan Airlines planned to retire 13 aircraft and purchase 14 new aircraft.
An agreement was signed with France‑based Airbus to purchase six A330 aircraft and four A350 aircraft.
Allegations that bribes were paid in connection with this deal emerged in January 2020, following an investigation by the UK Serious Fraud Office.
It was revealed that Airbus had agreed to pay a bribe of US$16.84 million to intermediaries involved in the purchase of 10 aircraft.
Investigations further revealed that US$2 million from the alleged bribe had been credited to an account belonging to a company operated in Brunei in the name of the wife of Former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena. (News 1st)
