Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) yesterday expressed its deep concern over the sudden death of a primary individual connected to the Airbus prosecution.
Issuing a statement said: This incident represents a serious setback to the pursuit of accountability and raises urgent concerns regarding the safety and protection of persons connected to high-profile corruption cases, particularly where judicial or investigative processes are ongoing. The Government has a clear responsibility to ensure the integrity of the justice process and ensure all persons connected to high-profile investigations and proceedings can participate in a safe and secure environment.
The incident involves the death of Kapila Chandrasena, the former Chairperson of SriLankan Airlines and a key suspect in the 2013 Airbus procurement corruption scandal. While the Police Media Spokesperson has indicated the death is a suspected suicide, TISL notes with grave concern that the loss of a central figure in such a nationally significant corruption case, particularly immediately after the granting of bail and the subsequent issuance of an arrest warrant, has serious implications for the pursuit of truth, accountability and justice.
Regardless of the circumstances surrounding his death, the outcome is deeply damaging to the justice process.
This not only prevents the public from learning the full extent of systemic corruption, but in high-stakes litigation, deaths under such circumstances could be interpreted as obstruction of justice if foul play is proved to be involved.
The vulnerability of those involved in grand corruption prosecutions is a matter of urgent concern. The State has a heightened duty to ensure that the accountability process does not collapse before justice can be delivered. Accordingly, TISL calls on the Government to ensure a full, transparent and credible investigation into the circumstances of this death, irrespective of the preliminary classification of the incident. The public must be assured that the highest level of scrutiny will be applied and that the pursuit of accountability in the Airbus corruption case will continue without obstruction or delay.