Namal Rajapaksa further remanded until 13 October in Airbus bribery case

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MP Namal Rajapaksa was further remanded until 13 October on Tuesday after the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court rejected his bail application in connection with the alleged Airbus bribery case.

The order was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama, who ruled that sufficient grounds had not been presented to justify granting bail.

Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for the Attorney General, told court that investigations into the alleged bribery transaction and related money-laundering allegations had been completed.

He said extracts from the investigations had already been forwarded to the Attorney General and that steps were being taken to file a joint indictment covering both matters.

Rajapaksa, who remains in remand custody, was produced before court for the hearing.

The bribery investigation concerns allegations linked to the procurement of Airbus aircraft for SriLankan Airlines. A separate money-laundering investigation arising from the same transaction has also been pursued against Rajapaksa.

Rajapaksa also appeared before court on Monday in connection with a separate investigation by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption over allegations linked to the Krrish transaction.