Sri Lanka arrests former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa over charity fund misuse

UPDATE - follow-up to Sri Lanka arrests ex-First Lady in charity graft probe: Sri Lanka's anti-corruption body arrested former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa at her Colombo home on Wednesday over alleged financial irregularities involving her charity, the Siriliya Saviya Foundation. The 73-year-old wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been remanded until October 13.

Details of Charges

Authorities are questioning her over 10 million rupees, about $30,300, in donations collected by the charity that were meant to be spent on a specialised scanner for Colombo's Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital. Officials state that such a scanner had already been donated by the Chinese government, and Shiranthi Rajapaksa has denied any wrongdoing, stating the money has not been appropriated. A spokesperson for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Manoj Gamage, said the money is safe in the charity's accounts and no fraud occurred. Shiranthi Rajapaksa had travelled to Singapore on September 16 for medical treatment and flew back on Monday after filing a court petition seeking to prevent her arrest, though her anticipatory bail hearing was fixed for October 12.

Broader Crackdown

Her arrest follows the detention of her eldest son, opposition lawmaker Namal Rajapaksa, who is in remand custody over corruption allegations in a 2013 Airbus aircraft deal signed during his father's presidency and a bribery probe linked to Indian property firm Krrish. His brother Yoshitha was also arrested earlier this year on corruption charges. The Rajapaksa family has denied all wrongdoing and accused the government of a political witch-hunt. The arrests form part of the ruling National People's Power government's ongoing anti-corruption drive under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, whose poll pledges included eliminating corruption.

Context

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently completed two years in office after winning power following widespread economic protests in 2022 that toppled his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The current administration has revived long-stalled investigations into members of the Rajapaksa family, who held a powerful grip on Sri Lankan politics for years.