The former chief executive officer of Sri Lanka's national carrier was found dead at a residence in Colombo as authorities reopen an investigation into alleged bribery. Police are investigating the death of Kapila Chandrasena, spokesman F U Wootler said by phone. The opinion of the Colombo magistrate was also going to be sought, he said.
SriLankan Airlines Ltd. finds itself at the heart of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's vow to stamp out corruption. A local court on Thursday had ordered Chandrasena's re-arrest on a petition by Sri Lanka's Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
In 2020, Airbus SE had agreed to a $4 billion settlement with authorities in the US, UK and France for improprieties including bribes paid in Sri Lanka. That included bribing the wife of a SriLankan Airlines official, who received $2 million through a Brunei shell company, according to the U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office.
Following the settlement, Sri Lankan prosecutors said Chandrasena, who led SriLankan Airlines from 2011 to 2015, and his wife, Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayaka, were suspects in a money-laundering case linked to Airbus aircraft sales. Chandrasena was remanded in March.
Consecutive Sri Lankan governments have also sought to restructure and secure an investor for the national carrier that has piled up losses and debt after Emirates Airline exited as managing shareholder during the tenure of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
SriLankan Airlines said in March that it completed the restructuring of $175 million government-guaranteed bonds after securing over 99% participation in an exchange and tender offer.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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