Sri Lanka's former first lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, has been arrested by anti-corruption authorities over allegations of misusing donations raised for a children's hospital. The 73-year-old wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was arrested at their Colombo home. She is being questioned over the alleged misuse of 10 million rupees ($30,300; £22,800) of donations collected by the Siriliya Saviya charity.
The charity was meant to raise funds for a specialised scanner for Colombo's Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital. However, officials claim that such a scanner had already been donated by the Chinese government. Shiranthi Rajapaksa has denied any wrongdoing and claims that the money has not been appropriated. Her arrest comes after she returned to Sri Lanka from Singapore, where she was receiving medical treatment.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa had filed a court petition to try to prevent her arrest, but the hearing was set for 12 October. Her husband, 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, his family has faced criticism for their grip on the country's politics.
Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was eventually toppled in 2022 after protests broke out across the country due to surging inflation and a shortage of fuel, food, and medicine. The current government, under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has revived long-stalled corruption investigations involving various members of the Rajapaksa family.
Several members of the Rajapaksa family have been arrested in recent months over corruption allegations. 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.
Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa's spokesperson, Manoj Gamage, has said that the money is safe in Siriliya's accounts and that no fraud has occurred. However, the investigation into the alleged misuse of funds is ongoing. Shiranthi Rajapaksa's arrest is the latest development in the country's efforts to tackle corruption.
The case has raised questions about the use of charitable funds and the accountability of those in power. The current government's efforts to revive corruption investigations have been seen as a step towards restoring public trust. The case will likely continue to be closely watched as it unfolds.
Key points
- Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the 73-year-old wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been arrested over allegations of misusing donations raised for a children's hospital.
- The allegations involve the misuse of 10 million rupees ($30,300; £22,800) of donations collected by the Siriliya Saviya charity.
- Several members of the Rajapaksa family have been arrested in recent months over corruption allegations.
