Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam has criticised the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over actions related to the investigation into the Airbus aircraft deal involving SriLankan Airlines.
Kariyawasam said a suspect had been arrested over allegations of receiving commissions linked to the Airbus transaction, but raised concerns about the conduct of the commission’s Director General during the course of the investigation.
He noted that Parliament had passed legislation in 2023 to strengthen CIABOC and grant it broader powers to investigate corruption, adding that his party supported the move with the expectation that the institution would operate independently and without political bias.
Kariyawasam alleged that a suspect connected to the Airbus case had been pressured to sign a statement naming certain politicians, and questioned whether the developments were politically motivated, referring to earlier remarks made in Parliament by Bimal Rathnayake.
He further stated that institutions such as the bribery commission were established to ensure justice and accountability, while also referring to allegations previously raised by the late Nandana Gunathilaka regarding the commission’s Director General, claiming that no proper inquiry had been conducted into those claims.
Kariyawasam said the SLPP was raising the issue to alert the public to what it described as possible attempts to misuse state institutions for political purposes.
Meanwhile, former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena was arrested last week for allegedly accepting bribes while serving as the airline’s Chief Executive Officer and as head of the procurement committee responsible for the purchase of Airbus aircraft, according to a statement issued by CIABOC.
