Namal Rajapaksa further remanded until September 29, 2026

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa was today (September 18) further remanded until September 29, 2026, over allegations that he accepted a Rs. 100 million bribe linked to the purchase of Airbus aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court also said the ruling on Rajapaksa’s bail application will be delivered on September 29. The defence was directed to file written submissions on the bail application on September 22, while the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) was ordered to file its written submissions on September 25.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama issued the order after considering submissions made by Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for CIABOC, and President’s Counsel Shavindra Fernando, appearing for Rajapaksa.

Rajapaksa, who is also the National Organiser of the SLPP, was produced before the court today as his previous remand period in the CIABOC case ended.

Making submissions, Deputy Solicitor General Bandara informed the court that Rajapaksa had also been produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court two days earlier and remanded in a separate case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the same Airbus transaction.

He said investigations into the alleged bribery offences and alleged money laundering offences were being jointly conducted by CIABOC and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Bandara also said CIABOC could seek the assistance and advice of the Attorney General in conducting the investigation under the Anti-Corruption Act, and that the relevant investigation material was being studied by the Attorney General’s Department.

Updating the court on the investigation, Bandara said CIABOC had recorded a statement from former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa regarding a SriLankan Airlines Board of Directors meeting allegedly held at the Speaker’s official residence and regarding the overseas presence of his son, Shamindra Rajapaksa.

Statements had also been recorded from Susantha Chaminda Ratnayake and Dimuthu Sanjaya, he said.

According to the Deputy Solicitor General, the investigation dates back to 2012. He told the court that Kapila Chandrasena, former CEO of SriLankan Airlines and identified as the first suspect in the case, had died, while Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayake, the second suspect and wife of the late Kapila Chandrasena, is currently in Australia, and Shamindra Rajapaksa, the third suspect, is currently in the United States.

He also said investigators had found photographs showing Namal Rajapaksa together with businessman Nimal Perera and that further investigations were being carried out based on those photographs.

Bandara told the court that the Director General of CIABOC had submitted a certificate under Section 149 of the Anti-Corruption Act in relation to Rajapaksa. He said that when such a certificate is submitted, bail can be granted only if exceptional circumstances are presented.

He noted that the court had previously rejected Rajapaksa’s bail application after finding that the circumstances presented by his lawyers at the time did not amount to exceptional circumstances.

The Chief Magistrate then questioned the prosecution about the steps taken over warrants issued against other suspects in the case.

Bandara said steps had been taken through Interpol to obtain a Red Notice against Shamindra Rajapaksa, who was said to be in the United States, while similar steps were being taken regarding Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayake, who was said to be in Australia.

He said indictments would need to be filed to speed up the process and added that the CID had forwarded its investigation files to the Attorney General’s Department.

Bandara said the authorities expected to complete the investigations and take the necessary legal action, including filing indictments, as soon as possible.

President’s Counsel Shavindra Fernando, appearing for Rajapaksa, meanwhile argued that new exceptional circumstances had arisen since the previous bail application was rejected.

Fernando told the court that an international investigation had already been conducted into the Airbus transaction but claimed that Rajapaksa’s name did not appear in the report relating to that investigation.

He further argued that a report of a commission appointed by former President Maithripala Sirisena in relation to the matter also did not refer to Rajapaksa.

The defence argued that Rajapaksa had been remanded based on a statement given by businessman Nimal Perera.

Fernando said Perera, who is currently in Australia, had previously stated that the money in question had not been received into an account belonging to him. He also said the CID had previously informed court through B Reports that Perera had made false statements.

The President’s Counsel argued that if the alleged bribe money had been received through an account belonging to Perera, he should also be treated as an accomplice to the alleged offence.

Fernando also asked the court to consider two other matters as exceptional circumstances for granting bail.

He said Rajapaksa had received an invitation from the Government of India to visit India and that the visit would have to be cancelled if he remained in remand custody.

He further said Rajapaksa had been invited by the Chief Incumbent of the Hanguranketha Pothgul Viharaya to take part in the installation of a pinnacle at 7:42 PM on September 26 as part of the temple’s annual Esala Perahera.

The defence said the procession was considered second only to the Kandy Esala Perahera and argued that Rajapaksa’s inability to attend the religious ceremony after accepting the invitation would amount to a discourtesy to the monk who invited him.

Fernando requested the court to consider these matters as exceptional circumstances and grant Rajapaksa bail.

Responding, Deputy Solicitor General Bandara argued that questions over the credibility of Nimal Perera could only be decided during a full trial and could not be treated as an exceptional circumstance at the bail stage.

He also said Rajapaksa had maintained an association with Perera over a long period and argued that the defence’s concerns about Perera’s credibility did not provide grounds for bail.

Bandara further argued that neither the proposed visit to India nor the invitation to take part in the temple ceremony amounted to exceptional circumstances.

During his submissions, he referred to a recent Supreme Court judgment by Justice Janak de Silva, saying the judgment had referred to Buddhist teachings, including the Anguttara Nikaya and the Sutta Pitaka, when discussing the importance of avoiding corruption and acting in accordance with the Dhamma. He argued that the matters presented by the defence could not be considered exceptional circumstances for bail.

Bandara also told the court that a separate investigation was underway into an incident referred to as “Weligama Bay,” in which information had emerged regarding more than Rs. 175 million in alleged suspicious funds received into an account belonging to Nimal Perera.

After considering the submissions made by both sides, the Chief Magistrate ordered Rajapaksa to remain in remand custody until September 29, when the court is also scheduled to deliver its ruling on the bail application.

Rajapaksa was arrested by CIABOC on September 4, 2026, after being questioned for nearly five hours over allegations that he received Rs. 100 million in cash as a bribe in connection with the acquisition of a wide-body Airbus aircraft fleet for SriLankan Airlines.

He was later produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court and remanded until September 18.

According to CIABOC, EUR 1,454,651.24 linked to the alleged bribery transaction had been received into an account maintained under the name BIZ Solutions Inc. at Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore.

Of that amount, USD 800,000 was allegedly transferred to an account at OCBC Bank in Singapore maintained under the name Sabre Vision Holdings Ltd., a company linked to Sri Lankan businessman Nimal Perera.

CIABOC alleges that Rajapaksa later received a total of Rs. 100 million in cash, equivalent to USD 800,000, from Perera on several occasions during 2014 and 2015.

The Commission has said its investigation is based on a statement provided by Perera, statements obtained from Airbus officials in France, and documents, electronic evidence and other information gathered during the investigation.

— Last Updated: September 18, 2026, at 07:30 PM —