A joint special team from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is reportedly set to travel to Australia as part of an investigation into an alleged bribery scheme linked to SriLankan Airlines' 2013 purchase of a fleet of ten aircraft.
The visit is intended to trace suspects and witnesses connected to allegations that a payment of US$2 million was received from a European aircraft manufacturer during the procurement process.
The joint operation aims to obtain statements from suspects and witnesses residing in Australia who are believed to hold bank accounts through which funds linked to the alleged Airbus bribery transaction were transferred, and to gather further evidence.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) had previously informed the court that W. D. Nimal Perera, who is alleged to be the holder of a bank account through which the suspected bribe money was transferred, is residing in Australia.
Among the principal suspects in the case are Priyanka Neomali Wijenayake, the wife of the late former Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena, and Shamindra Rajapaksa, son of former minister Chamal Rajapaksa.
Both are currently overseas, and arrest warrants have been issued against them by the Colombo Magistrate's Court and the Fort Magistrate's Court.
The bribery case before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court has been filed by CIABOC, while the case before the Fort Magistrate's Court has been instituted by the CID.
The investigation concerns allegations that a shell company was established in Brunei to receive a bribe of €1,454,645.54 (approximately US$2 million) from the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), a leading European aerospace manufacturer.
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