Ex-SLA CEO, wife remanded till 4 March

• Magistrate rejects bail after DSG says releasing them could hinder investigation
• Magistrate says CID not following AG’s instructions in carrying out investigations
• Says public eager to know who benefited from Airbus transaction as it involves public funds
• CID seeks travel ban on Nimal Perera

SriLankan Airlines (SLA) former CEO Kapila Chandrasena and his wife Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayaka were remanded till 4 March by Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Ranga Dissanayake while turning down a request for bail for the two by their counsel.

The Magistrate noted that the CID seemed to be lethargic in their investigations into the case and questioned why the instructions given by the Attorney General (AG) are being ignored. “The accused may or may not be found guilty of this offence, but this involves public funds and the people are eager to know who benefited from this transaction, the Magistrate said. Deputy Solicitor General Tusitha Mudalige appearing for the AG told the Court that the two accused have said in statement given to the CID they were unaware of any money coming into their accounts from Airbus company but investigations have revealed that $ 800,000 was transferred to an account of a company in Sri Lanka from an account which had been opened in Wijenayake’s name at the Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore. The local company had been registered with no address but was traced to two brothers, one for who were tracked down by the CID. However, the man had said he was unaware of any such transaction and asked the CID to contact his brother who he said was living in Gregory’s Road, Colombo but did not have an address for him.

The CID sought a travel ban on Nimal Perera who they said was linked to a company to which some of the suspect money was transferred.

The Magistrate directed the CID to furnish a detailed report on the investigation on the next court date.