Court orders arrest of former SriLankan CEO Kapila Chandrasena

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has issued an order to arrest and produce before the court the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SriLankan Airlines, Kapila Chandrasena, who had been released on bail by the court two days ago. 

The arrest warrant was ordered today by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodharagama after considering a request made by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), on the grounds that the defendant had violated bail conditions.

Issuing the order, the Chief Magistrate ordered the Bribery Commission officers to immediately execute the warrant.

Chandrasena, who was arrested on March 12 in connection with an incident involving the alleged acceptance of bribes during the purchase of Airbus aircraft for the airline, was granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (May 5).

At that time, the Magistrate had ordered that the suspect be released on a cash bail of Rs. 500,000 and three sureties of Rs. 1 million each.

However, the Bribery Commission informed the court through a motion today that the suspect had paid two individuals Rs. 15,000 each to appear as his bail signatories and to post bail on the sureties of Rs. 1 million each.

The Bribery Commission officer alleged that through this action, the suspect had violated the bail conditions imposed on him by the court and the trust placed in the court.

Since the suspect has acted in a manner that violates the trust of the court through this act, the Bribery Commission officer requested the court to suspend the suspect’s bail order under Sections 14(1) and 14(3) of the Bail Act No. 30 of 1997 and also requested that an order be issued to remand the suspect until the conclusion of the case under Section 149(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Bribery Commission officer also requested the court to issue a warrant for the arrest of the suspect, who has been released on bail and has already left prison.

Having considered the facts presented, the Magistrate ordered the arrest and production of this suspect before the court and ordered the issuance of a warrant.

Chandrasena, who was CEO of SriLankan Airlines during a 2013 deal to purchase 10 aircraft worth US$2.3 billion, is accused of conspiring to accept a bribe of US$16 million and receiving €1.45 million into a bank account in Singapore. 

Prosecutors say Chandrasena created a shell company in Brunei in his wife’s name and arranged for the kickback to be paid into its Singapore account.

Chandrasena was previously arrested and released on bail in February 2020 in a similar but separate case.