Sri Lanka’s Former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa Arrested Over Charity Donation Allegations
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka’s former first lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, has been arrested over allegations that donations collected by a charity linked to her were misused, with authorities investigating funds intended to purchase specialised medical equipment for a children’s hospital.
The 73-year-old wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was arrested by anti-corruption authorities at the couple’s home in Colombo on Wednesday. Investigators are questioning her over 10 million Sri Lankan rupees (approximately $30,300 or £22,800) raised by the Siriliya Saviya charity for a specialised scanner for Colombo’s Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital.
Officials allege that the funds were collected for equipment that had already been donated to the hospital by the Chinese government.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the money has not been misappropriated. Her husband’s spokesperson, Manoj Gamage, has also rejected allegations of fraud, saying the funds remain safely held in the charity’s accounts.
Legal challenge preceded arrest
Shiranthi Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka on Monday from Singapore, where she had been receiving medical treatment. Before her arrest, she had filed a petition in court seeking to prevent authorities from taking her into custody. However, the hearing was scheduled for 12 October.
The case adds to a series of corruption investigations involving members of the Rajapaksa family, which dominated Sri Lankan politics for years.
Rajapaksa family faces renewed scrutiny
Mahinda Rajapaksa served as Sri Lanka’s president from 2005 to 2015. He was widely celebrated by supporters for overseeing the military defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, bringing an end to nearly three decades of civil war.
However, the family’s political influence came under intense pressure in 2022, when Sri Lanka experienced a severe economic crisis. Soaring inflation and shortages of essential goods, including fuel, food and medicine, triggered widespread protests across the country.
Mahinda Rajapaksa’s younger brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was president at the time, was eventually forced from office amid the unrest.
Since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s government took power, authorities have revived long-running corruption investigations involving members of the former ruling family.
Sons also implicated in investigations
The investigations have extended to Mahinda and Shiranthi Rajapaksa’s sons.
Their eldest son, Namal Rajapaksa, was arrested earlier this year over allegations connected to an aircraft procurement deal made during his father’s presidency. He is currently being held in remand custody.
Another son, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, was also arrested earlier this year on corruption charges.
The allegations against Shiranthi Rajapaksa remain under investigation, and she has denied wrongdoing. The case is likely to draw further attention to the government’s efforts to pursue corruption allegations involving figures associated with Sri Lanka’s former political leadership.
