Following an order issued by Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena, a five-member committee of medical experts has been appointed to conduct the post-mortem examination. Chaired by the Chief Consultant Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of Colombo, Dr. Shriyasiri Amararatne, the committee commenced the autopsy this morning at the Colombo Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology.
The death occurred under highly controversial circumstances, just hours after the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court had issued a fresh warrant for Mr. Chandrasena’s arrest. He was scheduled to appear in court on the very day his body was found.
Mr. Chandrasena had been at the center of a high-profile legal battle involving a $2 million bribe allegedly taken during the 2013 Airbus aircraft procurement deal. After spending 54 days in remand custody, he was granted bail on May 5 under strict conditions.
However, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) subsequently informed the court that Mr. Chandrasena had allegedly misled the judiciary by presenting two individuals as "close relatives" who were, in fact, unrelated to him.
Citing this breach of trust and the violation of bail conditions, the Magistrate issued a new warrant to return the suspect to remand custody until the conclusion of the trial.
