No CCTV data stored at Aravinda’s house where Kapila Chandrasena died

The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) informed the Fort Magistrate’s Court today (May 14) that no data had been stored in the security camera system at the house belonging to former cricketer Aravinda de Silva, where former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena was found dead under suspicious circumstances.

Presenting facts before court, investigating officers stated that although the CCTV system at the house was functioning, investigations revealed that no footage had been recorded or stored.

The second day of evidence in the magisterial inquiry into the suspicious death of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena was held today (May 14) at the Fort Magistrate’s Court.

The Colombo Crimes Division submitted a further report on the ongoing investigations to Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena.

Investigators informed the court that a house belonging to Chandrasena’s wife had been searched on May 12, 2026, under a court order, and that two laptop computers and several files had been taken into custody as case material.

During the proceedings, the Magistrate asked investigators whether all CCTV footage from the house where the deceased was found had been taken into custody.

Responding to the question, the investigating officer stated that although the CCTV system at the house was operational, investigations had revealed that no data had been recorded.

The officer further stated that although no usable CCTV footage was found from the house itself, investigators had obtained CCTV footage from two nearby houses covering the period from May 6, 2026, to the afternoon of May 8, 2026, including front and side views of the property.

The Magistrate also asked how many entrances the house had.

The investigating officer replied that the house had only one entrance and stated that the CCTV footage currently in police custody contains visuals of individuals entering and leaving the premises.

Later, the second day of witness testimony in the magisterial inquiry began.

Attorney Priyantha Upali Amarasinghe, who first saw Chandrasena’s body inside a room at Aravinda de Silva’s residence, testified before court.

“Your Honour, on May 8, 2026, I went to Mr. Aravinda de Silva’s house following a request made the previous night by President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne. Around 9:30 p.m., he called me and said, ‘Kapila Chandrasena has to be produced in court. A motion has already been prepared in Sir’s chamber. File the motion in the morning and keep the case down until Sir arrives.’

“He also told me that Kapila feared being remanded and asked me to explain that the motion was to recall the warrant.

“Later, around 11:00 p.m., Aravinda de Silva called me, saying Mr. Rienzie wanted to speak with me. Aravinda told me that Kapila was there with him. He also said Kapila kept talking about some legal section and was afraid he would be remanded.

“I told Aravinda that I would come to the house around 7:15 the next morning. When I arrived and called, Aravinda woke up and I entered the house. As he was coming downstairs from the upper floor, he said, ‘I called Kapila, but he’s not answering.’

“I suggested that we knock on the door. Aravinda went upstairs, knocked, and came back saying the door was not opening. Then Aravinda, his wife, and I went upstairs. While Aravinda went to the washroom, I asked his wife whether there was a master key. She brought it and opened the door. It must have been around 7:35 a.m. at the time.

“As soon as the door opened, I noticed the bedsheet was crumpled, but nobody was on the bed. I looked to the left and saw what appeared to be a tie hanging over a door. Below it, I saw the top of a bald head resting on a blue chair. I also noticed part of the cloth wrapped around the neck.

“I then moved Aravinda’s wife away and came out of the room. Aravinda then arrived, and I told him, ‘It looks like he’s dead. Call a doctor you know.’ I noticed that Aravinda appeared frightened and visibly disturbed while making the calls.”

Dr. Lakshani Yashoda Liyanage from a private hospital, who first examined Chandrasena’s body, also testified.

“On May 8, at around 7:45 a.m., following a call received by our hospital’s emergency unit, I went to the location with several staff members around 7:50 a.m. A person identifying himself as a lawyer took us to a bedroom.

“The bed was empty. On the left side, there was a door. A chair had been placed facing the door, and a person was slumped there.

“I checked for signs of life. Breathing had stopped, and one side of the face was pressed against the chair. There was no pulse. When I lifted the right hand, it had become partially stiff. The pupil in the right eye was dilated and fixed. This indicated that the person had already died by the time I examined him. A piece of cloth was tightly compressed around the neck.”

A police officer conducting the examination asked the doctor how long before her examination the death may have occurred.

She replied, “The death may have occurred within one to two hours before the examination.”

A domestic worker employed at Chandrasena’s residence, identified as Manathunga Mudiyanselage Somadasa, also testified.

Responding to questions posed by the Magistrate, he said that from the time Chandrasena returned home on May 6 after obtaining bail until he left again for Aravinda de Silva’s house on May 7, no one had visited him at the Barnes Place residence.

Another housemaid, Subram Pramila, also testified.

“Kapila Sir returned home around 5:00 p.m. on May 6. Around 8:30 p.m., after dinner, he spoke to us briefly, asking whether we were well and whether the dogs had been fed. He said he was not feeling well and went to sleep.

“The following day, at around 3:30 p.m., Sir left home in the car and never returned. Later, Aravinda Sir’s driver brought the vehicle back and handed me the key.

“Around 11:30 p.m., Kapila Sir called me. First, he asked me to pack clothes for sleeping. Then he called again and asked me to include two pairs of spectacles, his medicine, and a blue belt. He said the blue belt was under the sarong. It was a belt he used while exercising. He said he would send a vehicle to collect them.

“Later, two men came in a vehicle and I handed over the bag. The next morning, since Sir had not returned, I called him around 6:40 a.m., but he did not answer. I called because Sir had said he needed to appear in court.”

When the Magistrate asked when Chandrasena had mentioned going to court, she replied that during the previous night’s call requesting clothes and other items, he had said, “I have to go to court tomorrow. Iron a white outfit.”

The maid further testified that around 7:25 a.m. on May 8, a group of five people identifying themselves as CID officers arrived with a search warrant and searched the house.

She stated that they told her, “‘Sir is inside the house, isn’t he? Don’t lie. We’ll take you too.’”

She added that after they left around 8:15 a.m., she learned that Kapila Chandrasena had died.

Statements were also recorded from two drivers employed by Aravinda de Silva, who had transported Chandrasena’s bag containing clothes, medicine, and the belt from Chandrasena’s residence to Aravinda de Silva’s house.

Further hearings were postponed until May 19, 2026.

---

---