Friday, September 4 2026
Friday, September 4 2026
MONETABRIEF – Namal Rajapaksa, son of Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested by the country’s main anti-graft body today in connection with a controversial Airbus aircraft purchase.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) detained the 40-year-old scion of the once-powerful Rajapaksa family after he recorded a statement about the $2.3 billion 2013 deal.
"Namal Rajapaksa was summoned for questioning over the Airbus transaction," a CIABOC official said. "He was arrested after recording a statement. He is being produced before the Colombo magistrate."
Rajapaksa’s lawyer, Nishantha Dayananda, confirmed his arrest in connection with the controversial purchase.
Following a joint US, French and UK investigation Airbus admitted that it was paying bribes to secure sales globally, including in Sri Lanka where they agreed to pay about $16 million to help sell wide-bodied A350 and A330 aircraft.
The deal was eventually scuttled, with a subsequent administration paying more than $100 million to cancel the order.
Kapila Chandrasena, the former SriLankan Airlines chief executive who was found dead at a relative’s home in Colombo on May 8, told CIABOC he had shared part of a $2 million sum with Rajapaksa relatives.
Shortly before his death, Chandrasena told investigators he gave 60 million rupees to Mahinda Rajapaksa in three instalments in 2013. The former president was later questioned by CIABOC.
His nephew and Namal’s cousin, Shameendra Rajapaksa, was a SriLankan Airlines director at the time. Courts have issued an arrest warrant for Shameendra, the second son of former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. He is believed to be in the US.
Earlier in the day ex-Trade Minister Johnston Fernando was also arrested. (COLOMBO/Sept 4, 2026)
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