Kapila Chandrasena's suspicious death investigation transferred to CCD

Extensive investigations into the suspicious death of Mr. Kapila Chandrasena, former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, have been handed over to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD). The police made this decision after his body was found under suspicious circumstances in an upstairs room of a two-story house belonging to former cricketer Mr. Aravinda de Silva, located on Pradees Road, Kollupitiya.

To definitively ascertain the cause of death, a five-member specialist medical board, chaired by Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Sriyantha Amarathna, has been appointed, and they conducted the post-mortem examination the day before yesterday (09). All body parts, including blood, urine, tissues, internal organs, and nails, obtained during the examination, have been sent to the Government Analyst for further laboratory analysis. Police Media Spokesperson, Attorney-at-Law, Assistant Superintendent of Police Udaya Kumara Wuttler stated that the specialist medical board will issue the final post-mortem report after receiving the analyst's report.

The deceased Mr. Kapila Chandrasena was previously arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with an alleged fraud in a SriLankan Airlines aircraft purchase deal and was remanded for nearly two months. Although he was granted bail by the court last week, it was later revealed that the two sureties presented for his bail were paid individuals with no connection to him. In an investigation conducted by the Keselwatte Police regarding this matter, the two sureties were arrested, and they confessed to the police that they had acted as sureties solely because they had received money.

Based on this incident of violating bail conditions, the Bribery Commission requested the court on the 7th to revoke his bail and remand him until the conclusion of the trial. Accordingly, the court issued a warrant for Mr. Chandrasena's arrest, and it is noteworthy that his body was found less than 24 hours after this order was issued. Investigations have revealed that on the 7th, the day the court order was issued, he left the said house in Kollupitiya in a three-wheeler, stating he was going to meet lawyers, and returned home much later.

The following day, the 8th, he was preparing to surrender to the court through a lawyer, and it was when the said lawyer arrived at the house that Mr. Chandrasena was found deceased. Due to the strong suspicion raised among investigating officers regarding the manner of death, the police have so far recorded statements from Mr. Aravinda de Silva, his wife, and several other individuals who were in the house. Furthermore, the mobile phone used by the deceased Kapila Chandrasena has also been taken into police custody, and the police further confirm that a comprehensive technical analysis is underway based on his last connected phone calls.