A Colombo court will consider a motion filed by former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena alleging that officials of the Bribery Commission pressured him while recording his statement in the high profile Airbus procurement bribery investigation.
A motion filed on behalf of former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena, alleging that officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption exerted pressure on him while recording his statement, will be considered before the permanent Chief Magistrate of the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on March 19, the same date on which the related bribery case is scheduled to be taken up.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva made this order after examining the motion when the matter was taken up before him while he was sitting for the Chief Magistrate of the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
Presenting the motion, President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne, who appeared for the suspect Kapila Chandrasena, requested permission to make submissions regarding an incident that allegedly occurred when Chandrasena appeared before the Bribery Commission on March 12 to provide an official statement connected to the investigation.
Counsel informed the court that the suspect had allegedly been subjected to pressure and intimidation by certain officials of the Bribery Commission while his statement was being recorded during the investigative process.
The motion further stated that when Chandrasena was produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court following his arrest, counsel had sought bail and had also brought the alleged threats and pressure to the attention of the court at that time. Counsel had additionally requested that the matter be taken up before the Magistrate assigned to hear bribery related cases on March 13.
However, as the court ordered that the suspect be remanded until March 19, the motion stated that Chandrasena, who remains in remand custody at present, had instructed his legal counsel to seek an opportunity to make detailed submissions regarding the alleged incident before the Magistrate responsible for handling bribery related matters at the earliest available date.
After considering the request made by the defence, Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva directed that the motion be taken up before the permanent Chief Magistrate on March 19, which is also the same date on which the bribery related case has already been fixed for hearing.
Meanwhile, Kapila Chandrasena was arrested on Thursday over allegations that while serving as the Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines and as the Chairman of the procurement committee responsible for the purchase of Airbus aircraft, he had allegedly conspired with several individuals, including his wife, to solicit and obtain a bribe.
Investigators allege that a fraudulent company had been established in Brunei under the name of Chandrasena’s wife and that a bank account had been opened in Singapore under that company’s name in order to receive the alleged bribery payments linked to the Airbus aircraft procurement deal.
Following his arrest by authorities, the suspect was produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court and was ordered to be remanded in custody until March 19 pending further legal proceedings and investigation into the corruption allegations.
