The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption today informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena had stated in a recorded statement that a sum of Rs. 60 million received as a bribe in the 2016 Airbus deal was allegedly handed over to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

According to the Commission, the suspect claimed that the Rs. 60 million was paid in three instalments to Rajapaksa, while a further Rs. 20 million was allegedly given to former Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne.

Investigations revealed that a shell company had been set up in Brunei under the name of Chandrasena’s wife, with a bank account opened in Singapore. Through this arrangement, a sum of €1,454,645.54 had allegedly been obtained from the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company as bribes.

Authorities further stated that the funds were transferred to the suspect’s account at the Commonwealth Bank in Australia, and that portions of the money were distributed among a director of SriLankan Airlines and several high-ranking government officials.

Following his arrest, Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered that Chandrasena be remanded in custody until April 2 while investigations continue.