Sri Lanka ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa questioned over Airbus bribery allegations

Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption authorities on Tuesday questioned former president Mahinda Rajapaksa over allegations he received kickbacks linked to a major Airbus aircraft deal.

Rajapaksa, 80, was interrogated for more than two hours by the Bribery Commission in Colombo as thousands of supporters gathered outside the commission’s office.

The investigation focuses on claims that money from a multi-million-dollar deal involving European aerospace giant Airbus was funneled to senior Sri Lankan officials.

A spokesman for Rajapaksa denied the allegations, while the former president has repeatedly described corruption accusations against him as politically motivated.

Former SriLankan Airlines chief executive Kapila Chandrasena had told investigators in March that he handed nearly $500,000 in kickbacks to Rajapaksa, according to officials.

Chandrasena, 61, was found dead at a relative’s home on Friday, days before he was expected to be rearrested. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of death.

He had been arrested in March and released on bail last week. His wife, who is also accused in the case, has reportedly fled the country.

Earlier investigations by US, British and French authorities found that Airbus agreed to pay around $16 million in bribes in Sri Lanka, with about $1.7 million allegedly routed to Chandrasena before the scandal surfaced.

The payments were tied to a $2.3 billion agreement for SriLankan Airlines to purchase 10 Airbus aircraft, a deal that required cabinet approval during Rajapaksa’s presidency between 2005 and 2015.

Court filings showed Chandrasena initially claimed he paid Rajapaksa 60 million Sri Lankan rupees in three instalments in 2013, before later retracting the statement and alleging he made it under pressure.

SriLankan Airlines, once regarded as the country’s flagship carrier, has accumulated losses estimated at 596 billion rupees, while repeated attempts to privatise the debt-ridden airline have failed.