Sri Lanka's former first lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, has been arrested by anti-corruption authorities over allegations that a charity she is linked to misused donations raised for a children's hospital. The 73-year-old wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was arrested at their Colombo home on Wednesday. The charity, Siriliya Saviya, collected 10 million rupees ($30,300; £22,800) for a specialised scanner for Colombo's Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital.
According to officials, the scanner had already been donated by the Chinese government, raising questions about the use of the funds. Shiranthi Rajapaksa has denied any wrongdoing, stating that the money has not been appropriated. Her arrest comes after she returned to Sri Lanka on Monday from Singapore, where she was receiving medical treatment. She had filed a court petition to try to prevent her arrest, but the hearing was set for 12 October.
The Siriliya Saviya charity is linked to Shiranthi Rajapaksa, and officials are investigating the use of the donated funds. Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa's spokesperson, Manoj Gamage, has said the money is safe in Siriliya's accounts and that no fraud has occurred. However, the current government of Sri Lanka, under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has revived long-stalled corruption investigations involving various members of the Rajapaksa family.
Mahinda Rajapaksa served as president of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015 and was hailed as a hero for bringing an end to nearly three decades of civil war. However, in 2022, protests broke out across the country as inflation surged and Sri Lanka ran out of fuel, food, and medicine. Mahinda's brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was serving as leader at that time, was eventually toppled.
The Rajapaksa family has faced several allegations of corruption, and several members have been arrested in recent years. Mahinda and Shiranthi's eldest son, Namal Rajapaksa, was arrested earlier this year over allegations linked to an aircraft procurement deal made during his father's presidency. He is currently held in remand. His brother Yoshitha was also arrested earlier this year on corruption charges.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa's arrest is the latest development in the ongoing investigations into corruption allegations against the Rajapaksa family. The family's grip on Sri Lankan politics has been loosening, and the current government has been working to hold them accountable for their actions. The investigation into the Siriliya Saviya charity and the use of the donated funds is ongoing.
The case has raised concerns about the misuse of donations meant for children's hospitals and the accountability of those in power. The Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital is a major healthcare provider for children in Sri Lanka, and the alleged misuse of funds has sparked outrage. The case will likely continue to unfold in the coming weeks as investigations continue.
Key points
- Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the former first lady of Sri Lanka, has been arrested over allegations of misusing donations raised for a children's hospital.
- The charity, Siriliya Saviya, collected 10 million rupees for a specialised scanner that had already been donated by the Chinese government.
- The arrest is part of ongoing investigations into corruption allegations against the Rajapaksa family.
