Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Tuesday (12) at 9.00 a.m., his media spokesperson Attorney Manoj Gamage confirmed.
Speaking on Monday afternoon, Gamage said the former President has never avoided legal proceedings and would present himself at the Commission as scheduled. However, his legal team is preparing to challenge the basis of the summons.
According to Gamage, the summons is reportedly grounded in a statement given by the late former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena, who died at his Colpetty residence on May 8 after his bail in the Airbus bribery case was revoked.
Gamage said Chandrasena had subsequently filed a sworn affidavit in court claiming that his earlier statement was obtained under threats and coercion. He argued that if the current summons rests on what he described as an unlawful confession, it raises serious legal concerns, and his client’s team may take legal action against the relevant parties.
Discussions on procedural matters are underway, with a meeting between Rajapaksa and his legal team planned for Monday evening to review the situation before Tuesday’s appearance.
Speaking at a rally in Wariyapola on Saturday, Mahinda Rajapaksa publicly confirmed he would attend. “Yes, I will go. I will definitely go. Suppressing us is not easy. We are used to this,” he said, according to NewsFirst.
Separately, former SriLankan Airlines board member Willy Gamage appeared before the Commission on Monday, provided a statement, and left, NewsFirst reported. Former Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne has also been summoned. The broadcaster said the summons against the former President is based on Kapila Chandrasena’s allegation that Rs. 60 million of the USD 2 million Airbus bribe was handed to Rajapaksa.
The CIABOC probe concerns alleged bribery linked to the 2013 SriLankan Airlines Airbus aircraft procurement deal, in which the Commission has previously alleged that USD 2 million was channelled through Chandrasena’s wife and that further payments were made to associates of the former President. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother Basil Rajapaksa was Cabinet Minister of Economic Development at the time the deal was approved.
The summons follows the death of Kapila Chandrasena on May 8, the serving of CIABOC notice at the Carlton residence, and allegations by SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa that Chandrasena had been intimidated by investigators.
