Sri Lanka’s Attorney General has issued an arrest warrant for SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena and his wife on corruption charges.
It is the latest action by countries probing allegations made by law enforcement agencies in the UK, Europe and the US over alleged financial irregularities in aircraft deals with Airbus.
After studying a criminal investigation report by the country’s CID, the AG called for the arrest of the couple.
Airbus agreed to settle a wide-ranging case of bribery spanning the globe over several years.
It will pay a record US$4 billion.
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office alleged Airbus paid a $2 million bribe to the wife of a SriLankan Airlines executive six years ago in exchange for buying 10 A350 aircraft.
The two top executives at budget airline group AirAsia stood down this week over similar allegations of bribery tied to the purchase of Airbus jets.
