Inside Bribery Case That Sent Namal to Remand
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organizer and Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa was remanded until September 18 after being arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with an investigation into an alleged Rs. 100 million bribery transaction linked to the purchase of aircraft for SriLankan Airlines. The remand order was issued after Rajapaksa was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court this (4) evening. The arrest followed an investigation by the Bribery Commission into allegations that Rajapaksa received a bribe amounting to Rs. 100 million in relation to a transaction involving the acquisition of aircraft for the national carrier. Rajapaksa appeared before the Commission today to record a statement after the anti-corruption watchdog rejected his request for a different date. Although the Bribery Commission had initially instructed him to appear on September 4, Rajapaksa had first inquired whether he could appear on September 3 instead. While the Commission agreed to that request, Rajapaksa subsequently informed the Commission through a letter sent by his lawyer, Muditha R. Lokumudali, that he would only be able to appear on or after September 25. The Bribery Commission rejected that request and later informed him via a WhatsApp message that he was required to appear before the Commission today as previously directed. The Commission also warned that legal action would be initiated if he failed to comply with the summons. Accordingly, Namal Rajapaksa arrived at the Bribery Commission premises at approximately 9:15 a.m. today. Before entering the Commission, Rajapaksa briefly spoke to the media. When asked whether he was complying with the law, Rajapaksa responded, "We work according to the law, but the law needs to work too. It doesn't look like the law is working because we've been waiting for about 15 minutes just to cross the road." Responding to a question on whether he was confident he had committed no wrongdoing, Rajapaksa stated, "Clearly, I haven't done anything wrong. We have no need to do anything wrong. That's why we are ready to face any independent investigation at any time." Following the recording of his statement, Rajapaksa was arrested by investigators attached to the Bribery Commission and later produced before court. In a statement issued today, the Commission outlined the basis of the allegations against him. According to the Commission, the case relates to a transaction involving the purchase of aircraft for SriLankan Airlines, in which a total alleged bribe payment of Euro 1,454,651.24 was made. The Commission alleges that, out of that amount, US$800,000 was remitted to a Sri Lankan businessman through an account named Biz Solutions Inc. maintained at Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore. According to investigators, those funds were subsequently deposited into an account at OCBC Bank in Singapore held in the name of Sabre Vision Holdings, a company owned by the businessman concerned. The Bribery Commission further alleges that a sum equivalent to Rs. 100 million was thereafter paid as a bribe by the Sri Lankan businessman on several occasions during 2014 and 2015. Investigators state that the allegations are supported by statements made by the Sri Lankan businessman named as a suspect in the transaction, statements obtained from Airbus officials in France who appeared before the Commission, as well as documentary evidence and other information gathered during the course of the investigation.
