Former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Nishantha Wickramasinghe, was arrested yesterday by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over three separate allegations of causing financial losss to the national carrier.
Wickramasinghe, who is the brother of former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, is alleged to have been involved in irregularities linked to multi-million dollar aircraft deals made while he headed the national carrier.
According to the Commission, the arrest was made in connection with an ongoing investigation into three separate allegations of corruption related to decisions taken during his tenure as Chairman of the national carrier.
He was taken into custody around 12:18 p.m., in Nawala, by CIABOC investigating officers.
The charges against Wickramasinghe are as follows:
1. Causing a financial loss of USD 4,512 to the government by altering the destination of flight UL319, which was originally scheduled to travel from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Katunayake on 22 January 2014.
2. Causing a financial loss of USD 19,160 to the government by disembarking 75 passengers, who had arrived in Sri Lanka from the Maldives and were scheduled to depart for France on flight UL563, on 26 January 2014.
3. Misuse of public funds amounting to LKR 1,250,000 on 19 December 2014, allegedly used for the former President’s election campaign held at the 18th Mile Post Stadium in Katunayake.The suspect is expected to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, the CIABOC added.