Bribes to arrest Kapila Chandrasena's wife - CID officers team to Australia

A team of officers from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) departed for Australia yesterday (20) to expand investigations into the incident of receiving a two million US dollar bribe from a European company during the process of purchasing 10 aircraft by SriLankan Airlines in 2013.

The main objective of this special investigative visit is to take further legal action through Interpol against the second suspect in the incident, Priyanka Neomali Wijenaike, wife of former CEO Kapila Chandrasena, and the third suspect, Shamindra Rajapaksa, son of former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena had previously taken steps to issue open warrants in English against them.

The Bribery Commission states that it is also scheduled to record a statement from W. D. Nimal Perera, who is currently residing in Australia and is suspected to be the owner of a bank account where the bribe money was deposited. Furthermore, the Criminal Investigation Department has confirmed that court orders required to examine the Australian bank accounts belonging to the second suspect have already been obtained.

Meanwhile, Kapila Chandrasena, the first suspect in this case, mysteriously passed away recently, and the inquest proceedings regarding his death are currently being heard at the Fort Magistrate's Court. In addition, legal proceedings against the second and third suspects have already been filed before the Fort and Colombo Chief Magistrate's Courts.