Former SriLankan Airlines chief found dead amid Airbus bribery case

Kapila Chandrasena, the former chief executive of SriLankan Airlines, has been found dead at a relative's home in Colombo, police said.

He had been arrested in March in connection with allegations that he conspired to accept a US$16 million bribe linked to the purchase of 10 Airbus aircraft.

Police said they were investigating the cause of death and the circumstances surrounding it.

No further details were immediately given.

The death comes as the Airbus corruption case remains a high-profile matter in Sri Lanka.

Chandrasena had reportedly told investigators after his arrest that part of the money had been paid to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and former aviation minister Piyankara Jayaratne.

Rajapaksa, who led the country from 2005 to 2015, and members of his family have faced several corruption allegations, which they deny and describe as politically motivated.

The case has drawn attention because it involves both a major state-linked airline and claims of bribery tied to a large aircraft purchase.

Chandrasena's death adds a new development to an already sensitive investigation, but it is not yet clear whether it will affect any related proceedings.

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