Namal Rajapaksa granted bail in Airbus money-laundering case

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MP Namal Rajapaksa, who had been remanded over money-laundering allegations linked to the Airbus aircraft procurement deal, was granted bail by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena ordered Rajapaksa’s release on a cash bail of Rs. 500,000 and two sureties of Rs. 100 million each.

The court also imposed a travel ban on Rajapaksa and directed that the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration be informed. He was further ordered not to interfere with witnesses.

The case was filed by the Criminal Investigation Department under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act over alleged financial irregularities connected to the procurement of Airbus aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.

However, Rajapaksa remains in remand custody in connection with a separate case concerning alleged bribery linked to the same Airbus transaction. He was remanded until 13 October in that case after the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court rejected his bail application on Tuesday.