Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena over allegations that the bail conditions imposed by court had been violated through the use of unsuitable sureties.
The request was made before court today by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, which sought the cancellation of Chandrasena’s bail and requested that he be remanded until the conclusion of the trial. The Commission argued that the trust placed by court had been undermined after two allegedly unsuitable individuals were produced as sureties on behalf of the former airline executive.
The matter was taken up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate during proceedings related to a motion seeking the arrest and production of Chandrasena before court. Chandrasena had previously been granted bail after being remanded in connection with investigations into the controversial 2013 procurement of ten aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.
Meanwhile, two suspects identified as Mohamed Rizwan and Mohamed Irshan, residents of Sanchi Arachchiwatte near the Hulftsdorp court complex, were ordered to be remanded until May 13 by Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva after being produced before court by the Keselwatta Police.
According to police, the two men had appeared as sureties for Chandrasena in exchange for payments of Rs. 15,000 each, despite having no personal relationship or acquaintance with him. Chandrasena had earlier been released on three surety bails amounting to Rs. 10 million each.
Police informed court that officials became suspicious because the sureties appeared financially incapable of producing the suspect before court if required under the Bail Act and had no identifiable connection to Chandrasena. Investigations were launched following complaints made by court officials regarding documents submitted in support of the bail application, including a Grama Niladhari certificate.
During questioning, the suspects reportedly told investigators that they had agreed to appear as sureties at the request of two individuals identified only as “Deva” and “Tissa” and had accepted payments in return. Police further stated that the suspects did not have fixed employment or a stable source of income.
