By: Staff Writer
May 12, Colombo (LNW): The sudden death of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena has pushed Sri Lanka’s biggest corruption investigation into a dangerous new phase, where questions over political accountability are now competing with growing allegations of intimidation, coercion, and institutional abuse.
At the center of tomorrow’s political storm is former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is scheduled to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to record a statement over allegations linked to the controversial Airbus aircraft procurement deal.
But what was initially expected to be a major anti-corruption breakthrough has rapidly transformed into a deeply polarizing national controversy after Chandrasena’s shocking death just days before the scheduled summons.
The former airline chief executive, accused of playing a central role in arranging bribes tied to the 2013 purchase of ten Airbus aircraft worth $2.3 billion, was found dead in Kollupitiya under circumstances police have described as a suspected suicide by hanging. His death came only hours after a fresh warrant was issued for his arrest.
Now, instead of focusing solely on alleged corruption involving millions in international kickbacks, the national conversation has shifted toward whether investigative authorities themselves crossed legal and ethical boundaries while pursuing the case.
Before his death, Chandrasena submitted a controversial affidavit claiming he was subjected to severe psychological pressure by senior CIABOC officials. In the document, he alleged he was threatened and pressured to implicate Mahinda Rajapaksa and MP Namal Rajapaksa in the bribery scandal.
Most explosively, Chandrasena claimed the intimidation became so unbearable that it triggered suicidal thoughts. Those allegations have now cast a long shadow over tomorrow’s proceedings.
The Rajapaksa camp has seized on the affidavit to challenge the legitimacy of the investigation. SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam and other allies argue the former CEO may have been psychologically broken by investigators attempting to secure politically damaging testimony.
That narrative threatens to undermine what had been shaping into one of the country’s most significant corruption prosecutions in years.
Investigators allege Chandrasena previously confessed that Rs. 60 million was paid to Mahinda Rajapaksa and Rs. 20 million to former Civil Aviation Minister Piyankara Jayaratne from funds linked to Airbus bribes. However, legal analysts warn those statements could now face major admissibility challenges because the witness is no longer alive to testify in court or face cross-examination.
Tomorrow’s events could therefore become a defining moment not only for the Airbus case but also for public confidence in Sri Lanka’s justice system.
If Rajapaksa strongly denies the allegations while highlighting Chandrasena’s affidavit, political momentum could shift dramatically against investigators. On the other hand, if CIABOC produces corroborating financial evidence or fresh testimony, the investigation may regain credibility despite losing its principal witness.
Adding to the uncertainty, the final forensic report into Chandrasena’s death is also expected tomorrow. The findings may determine whether the country views the tragedy as a personal collapse under legal pressure or as the turning point that fundamentally changed the course of Sri Lanka’s most explosive corruption scandal.