SriLankan Airlines Airbus bribery case

CEO of SriLankan Airlines during the 2013 procurement. The UK DPA's Statement of Facts (without naming him) describes the intermediary company as controlled by the wife of a SriLankan Airlines executive; the Sri Lankan investigation identified that executive as Chandrasena. In December 2024 the US State Department publicly designated him for significant corruption, stating he accepted a bribe as CEO in exchange for ensuring the Airbus purchase. He died in May 2026 while investigations were still active.

Kapila Chandrasena's wife. The UK SFO's agreed Statement of Facts records the intermediary company's sole shareholder/director as the wife of a SriLankan Airlines executive with no aviation-sales experience; the Sri Lankan investigation identified her by name. A suspect in the local investigation, with a warrant reported issued and reported living abroad.

Beneficially linked to Sabre Vision Holdings. Later gave prosecutors an affidavit stating the US$800,000 his company received was converted into Sri Lankan rupees and that approximately Rs. 100 million was handed to Namal Rajapaksa in cash on several occasions during 2014-2015. His credibility has been directly challenged in court by Rajapaksa's defence, citing his own earlier, differing statements.

Politician — suspect

Namal Rajapaksa

CIABOC alleges Nimal Perera converted the US$800,000 received by Sabre Vision into approximately Rs. 100 million and handed it to Rajapaksa during 2014-2015, based partly on Perera's affidavit. Rajapaksa denies wrongdoing; his lawyers have challenged Perera's credibility and pointed out neither Airbus nor French officials have themselves said money reached him. Arrested by CIABOC on 4 September 2026 and remanded; no formal indictment has been filed. A separate, legally distinct CID proceeding — the SriLankan Airlines Airbus money-laundering suspect designation, arising from the same transaction — has separately held him in remand since 16 September 2026.

Former board member of SriLankan Airlines during the re-fleeting period. Investigators reported a separate approximately US$160,000 transfer reaching his account in 2013; he was subsequently named a suspect and an open arrest warrant was reported issued. No conviction or formal indictment has been established.

CIABOC said Chandrasena's own statement alleged Rs. 60 million was given to Mahinda Rajapaksa. Chandrasena later submitted an affidavit saying statements implicating Mahinda Rajapaksa, Namal Rajapaksa and others were obtained through coercion. This allegation is highly disputed and has produced no conviction.

Former Civil Aviation Minister — statement recorded

Piyankara Jayaratne

CIABOC reported an allegation, again originating from Chandrasena's own statement, that Rs. 20 million was handed to the then Civil Aviation Minister. Questioned by CIABOC in 2026. Disputed for the same reason as the Mahinda Rajapaksa allegation — Chandrasena later said statements implicating others were coerced — and no conviction has been established.

Sri Lanka's national carrier, about 99% government-owned at the time. Committed in 2013 to a major Airbus re-fleeting programme — six A330s, four purchased A350s and four more leased A350s — that later drove the cancellation costs and financing disputes described later in this story.

Sold and leased the aircraft to SriLankan Airlines. In a UK Deferred Prosecution Agreement (Jan 2020), Airbus agreed a Statement of Facts admitting it paid a Brunei intermediary company to help secure the SriLankan deal, and that it misled its own export-credit agency about who the intermediary really was.

Incorporated in Brunei in October 2012 — the UK SFO's Statement of Facts calls it "Intermediary 1." Had no staff or track record in airline sales. On 29 March 2013 it signed a consultancy agreement with Airbus covering the SriLankan A330/A350 sale and lease, with commissions of up to US$16.84 million on offer; only US$2 million was actually paid, into its Standard Chartered account in Singapore.

A Singapore-registered company reported to be beneficially linked to businessman Nimal Perera. Court reporting describes two US$400,000 transfers (US$800,000 total) reaching Sabre Vision's account from Biz Solutions — though the exact dates are inconsistently reported (2013 in a 2020 Sunday Times investigation, 2014 in the 2026 prosecution account before the Colombo Chief Magistrate), a discrepancy this page does not resolve.

The airline's board during the re-fleeting decisions. A 2015 Board of Inquiry (led by J.C. Weliamuna) found prima facie evidence of abuse of power, procurement/leasing irregularities and external interference, and recommended a criminal investigation into the re-fleeting exercise. Sitting on this board is a governance role, not itself a finding of criminal wrongdoing — the Presidential Commission separately reportedly recommended considering civil action against the former board over the re-fleeting decisions.

Asked Airbus why its sales agent had little aviation experience, was paid outside Sri Lanka, and whether the agent was the SriLankan CEO's wife. Airbus told UKEF she was not — internal Airbus correspondence later called this "most unfortunate." Airbus withdrew its financing application; UKEF and Airbus jointly reported the matter to the UK Serious Fraud Office in April 2016.

Investigated Airbus globally and reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement in January 2020 (part of a group settlement exceeding €3.5 billion). The approved judgment did not include a compensation order for Sri Lanka specifically — the SFO said it could not readily quantify victim losses, and the judge noted potential victims remained free to pursue their own claims.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. Leads the ongoing Sri Lankan investigation, obtained Singapore banking records through mutual legal assistance, recorded statements from Kapila Chandrasena, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Piyankara Jayaratne, and arrested Namal Rajapaksa on 4 September 2026. Investigators have said the inquiry has received assistance from Australia, Singapore, France and the United States.