Was a plan made for Engineer Kapila, the former CEO of Air Lanka - Mihin Lanka - Mobitel, to be hanged?

Mr. Kapila Chandrasena, a leading businessman in Sri Lanka and former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, was found dead under suspicious circumstances today (May 08, 2026) in a house in the Kollupitiya area (near Barnes Place), Colombo. According to initial reports by Police Media Spokesperson Assistant Superintendent of Police F.

U. Wuttler and other officials, this is suspected to be a suicide, but a comprehensive investigation into this death has now been launched. This unfortunate incident has become a subject of intense discussion as it was reported just hours after another arrest warrant was issued against him in connection with the Airbus deal, leading to various speculations in society regarding whether it involves influence, political interference, or some criminal act.

Mr. Kapila Chandrasena received his primary education at Royal College, Colombo, and earned a degree in Engineering from the University of Chicago in the USA, as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Melbourne in Australia. He became a prominent figure in Sri Lanka's corporate and aviation sectors in the 2010s, holding high positions in several organizations. He served as the CEO of SriLankan Airlines until March 09, 2015, and additionally held positions as CEO of Mihin Lanka and Mobitel, and Chief Marketing Officer of Sri Lanka Telecom.

The biggest crisis in his life arose in 2013 in connection with SriLankan Airlines' deal to purchase between 10 and 14 Airbus aircraft, valued at approximately US$2.3 billion. Serious allegations were leveled that Kapila Chandrasena and his wife, Priyanka Neomali Wijenaike (Niyamali / Wijenaike), conspired to obtain a US$2 million bribe by paying more than the market value in this transaction. It was reported that these bribe funds were credited to a shell company maintained in his wife's name in Brunei,

 and subsequently, these funds were transferred via Singapore to bank accounts in Australia's 'Commonwealth' Bank and in Sri Lanka. These facts were uncovered during an investigation by the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into Airbus's global corruption, and in 2020, a British court ruling also confirmed this transaction related to Sri Lanka. Furthermore, in December 2024, the United States imposed sanctions on Mr. Chandrasena and his family members based on these bribery allegations.

In connection with this series of events, arrest warrants were issued against him and his wife in February 2020 under money laundering charges, and they were later granted bail. However, in March 2026, he was re-arrested after the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) recorded a statement from him. Reports indicated that he had named high-ranking politicians, including Mahinda Rajapaksa, in connection with political influence and various money transfers, including 60 million rupees, but authorities refrained from publicizing those names for security reasons. Mr. Chandrasena had stated that he was facing severe political threats and pressure, and 


after being remanded several times, he was granted bail on May 05, 2026, under a cash bail of 500,000 rupees and a travel ban. However, it was confirmed that two individuals who came forward as his sureties had provided false information, leading to the remand of those two false sureties. Consequently, on May 07, 2026, the court issued a warrant for Mr. Chandrasena's re-arrest on charges of violating bail conditions. Amidst these legal crises, international sanctions, and political tensions, Mr. Kapila Chandrasena, who was under severe mental stress, ended his life in this manner before authorities could locate him for arrest.