By Roy Denish.
Namal Rajapaksa airline probe intensifies as CIABOC rejects a request to delay questioning over a SriLankan Airlines aircraft deal.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) rejected a request from the defence for a delayed appearance and ordered Sri Lankan parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa to face questioning regarding an ongoing inquiry into a multi-million-dollar wide-body aircraft acquisition deal involving SriLankan Airlines.
The development has triggered a broader public debate over legal compliance and political accountability. Although Rajapaksa’s legal representatives initially indicated that he was prepared to cooperate, a formal request to postpone his appearance until later in the month was rejected by the anti-corruption commission. CIABOC subsequently directed him, through messaging channels, to appear on the originally scheduled date.
Political commentators note that public scrutiny has evolved significantly since previous periods of high-profile investigations, with citizens increasingly demanding transparent judicial processes following major political transitions. Ahead of a scheduled political rally in Anuradhapura by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), opposition figures have faced criticism over suggestions that the inquiry could be portrayed as a politically motivated move.
As anti-corruption investigations continue, critics and members of the public have raised a central question: Why do prominent political figures who project unwavering confidence on public stages frequently seek legal delays when formally summoned by independent oversight bodies?
