Namal Rajapaksa remanded until September 18, 2026

Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa was today (September 4) ordered by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama to be remanded until September 18, 2026, over an alleged Rs. 100 million bribe linked to the SriLankan Airlines Airbus investigation.

Rajapaksa, who is the National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), had arrived at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) this morning following a summons directing him to appear at 9:00 AM.

He was summoned to provide a statement in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged bribes linked to the acquisition of a wide-body Airbus aircraft fleet for SriLankan Airlines.

Rajapaksa was arrested by CIABOC investigating officers at around 2:09 PM after providing statements for nearly five hours.

According to the allegations, EUR 1,454,651.24 in alleged bribe money had been received into an account named BIZ Solutions INC at Standard Chartered Bank.

Of that amount, USD 800,000 was allegedly transferred to an account maintained at OCBC Bank in Singapore under the name of Sabre Vision Holdings LTD, a company owned by a Sri Lankan businessman.

It is further alleged that, in return for an amount equivalent to the USD 800,000, Rajapaksa received Rs. 100 million in cash as a bribe from the businessman on several occasions during 2014 and 2015.

CIABOC said the investigation is based on a statement provided by the businessman concerned, statements given to the Commission by Airbus officials in France, and documents and other information gathered in relation to the matter.

Following his arrest, Rajapaksa was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

The remand order was issued after the court considered submissions made by Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing on behalf of the Bribery Commission, and lawyers representing Rajapaksa.