Namal Rajapaksa arrested and remanded over alleged SriLankan Airlines bribery
Regarding Namal Rajapaksa
What happened?
On 4 September 2026, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) arrested Namal Rajapaksa after around five hours of questioning, in connection with an alleged Rs. 100 million cash bribe - plus further sums allegedly routed through overseas accounts - linked to the SriLankan Airlines wide-body aircraft acquisition of 2014-2015. He was remanded the same day.
What changed?
Before 4 September 2026, this was an active investigation with charges pending and no arrest. Rajapaksa is now in remand custody - a materially more serious stage of the same case. This is an allegation under prosecution; it is not a conviction. Correction (14 Sep 2026): the aircraft acquisition itself was agreed and procured in 2013; "2014-2015" refers to when the alleged onward payments reaching Rajapaksa were made, not to the SriLankan-Airbus deal.
What happens next?
18 September 2026: The case is due back before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court.
The case
People involved
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