No official notice issued to Mahinda Rajapaksa over Airbus case, says spokesman

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has not received any official notice or communication from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) regarding the Airbus transaction, his media spokesman Attorney Manoj Gamage said.

Issuing a statement, Attorney Gamage clarified that no formal notification has been issued by the Bribery Commission in relation to the matter.

He further stated that recent remarks made by the incumbent President regarding anticipated court rulings amount to prejudging judicial decisions and constitute interference with the independence of the judiciary.

The statement also alleges that while the Bribery Commission is reportedly taking a keen interest in matters involving the Rajapaksa family, it has not initiated investigations into several serious allegations against the current government, including coal fraud, release of containers and alleged dollar fraud cases.

Attorney Gamage emphasized that the Bribery Commission operates using public funds and not those of any political administration, urging it to conduct independent investigations into large-scale corruption cases without prioritizing political witch-hunts.

He further noted that the Rajapaksa political faction is not intimidated by such political actions and will respond lawfully when necessary.

Earlier it was reported that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne have been summoned to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on May 12, 2026.

The summons was issued to record statements in connection with the ongoing investigation into the controversial Airbus deal.

The CIABOC initiated an investigation over the allegations involving the 2013 procurement of six Airbus A-330 aircrafts and eight A-350 aircrafts for SriLankan Airlines, during which US$2 million was reportedly received as bribes.

The allegations have been levelled against former CEO of SriLankan Airlines Kapila Chandrasena and his wife, Nayomi Wijenayake.

Chandrasena was arrested by the Bribery Commission on March 12 and was subsequently remanded until May 5 under the Bribery Act and the Anti-Corruption Act for ongoing investigations.

The CIABOC informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, on March 19, 2026 that it has been uncovered that funds allegedly received as bribes from the Airbus aircraft deal had been handed over by former SriLankan Airlines CEO, Kapila Chandrasena to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne.

According to the Commission, the suspect Kapila Chandrasena has stated that, following a request made by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2015, a total of Rs. 60 million was handed over in three installments of Rs. 20 million each at the former President’s Beliatta residence and Carlton residence.

Accordingly, the Bribery Commission has now summoned Rajapaksa and Jayaratne to appear before it on May 12 to record statements as part of the ongoing investigation into the controversial Airbus deal.