Former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena was found dead at his residence in Kollupitiya under suspicious circumstances, police confirmed.
His death occurred just one day after a Colombo court issued a fresh warrant for his arrest on 7 May 2026.
Public reports, including those regarding US sanctions against him, explicitly identify him as a relative of the Rajapaksa family through marriage.
Police Media Spokesman ASP F. U. Wootler said Chandrasena’s body was discovered inside his house at No. 37, Pedris Place, Kollupitiya. According to police, he was found hanging inside the residence. Investigations are continuing to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.
The discovery came a day after the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court issued a warrant for Chandrasena’s arrest over alleged violations of bail conditions. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered his arrest after it was revealed that bail conditions imposed by court had allegedly been breached through the submission of unsuitable sureties.
Earlier, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) had requested the court to revoke the bail granted to Chandrasena and remand him until the conclusion of the trial. The Commission alleged that Chandrasena had violated bail conditions and breached the trust placed in him by the court by producing two individuals deemed unsuitable as sureties.
Chandrasena was a central figure in the long‑running investigation into the controversial 2013 Airbus aircraft procurement deal involving SriLankan Airlines. He was accused of accepting bribes while serving as Chief Executive Officer in exchange for ensuring that the national carrier purchased Airbus aircraft at prices allegedly above market value.
According to prosecutors, Chandrasena was alleged to have received an advance payment of US $2 million as part of a larger kickback arrangement connected to the 2013 purchase of eight Airbus A350 aircraft. The overall aircraft deal was valued at more than US $2 billion.
Legal action relating to the alleged bribery and corruption had been initiated several years ago; however, there has been little progress in the prosecution of the case to date.
Police said investigations into Chandrasena’s death are ongoing.
(With the inputs from Daily Mirror and Satahan website)