Former CEO of SriLankan Airlines appears before Presidential Commission of Inquiry

Former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Nishantha Wickremesinghe, brother-in-law of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was summoned to appear before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Inquire and Investigate into Serious Acts of Fraud and Corruption (PRECIFAC).

Accordingly Wickremesinghe arrived at the PRECIFAC yesterday to give a statement on the financial irregularities at the national carrier.

Secretary of the commission Lesil de Silva said Wickremesinghe was summoned to record a statement on the alleged financial irregularities at the SriLankan Airlines Catering Service, which is a subsidiary of SriLankan Airlines, during his tenure at the airline.

Former Chief Executive Officer of the SriLankan Airlines Kapila Chandrasena has also been summoned to the Commission.

A Board of Inquiry appointed last year found shocking details of corruption running into billions of dollars, manipulations of service contracting, recruitment of unqualified staff and major security breaches at Sri Lankan Airlines under the former government.

The Board recommended criminal investigations into the irregularities at the airline and criminal prosecution of the former chairman and the CEO.