Sri Lanka’s ex-first lady arrested in charity corruption probe

Sri Lanka's former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa has been arrested in connection with a corruption probe involving her charity. The 73-year-old, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was detained in Colombo and transported to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) for further questioning. The arrest stems from allegations that her Siriliya Saviya Foundation misused donations for a children's cancer hospital.

CIABOC officials informed reporters at Rajapaksa's home that she is scheduled to appear before a court later on Wednesday, where a magistrate will determine whether she can be released on bail. Her lawyer, Manoj Gamage, stated that she denies the allegations and intends to contest the charges of misappropriating charity donations. Prosecutors also arrested Pradeep Kariyawasam, the former head of National Savings Bank, for allegedly donating public funds to the charity without adhering to financial regulations.

Shiranthi Rajapaksa had traveled to Singapore on September 16 for medical treatment and was subsequently served with a summons at Colombo airport to provide a statement regarding her charity. She returned to Sri Lanka on Monday after filing an anticipatory bail petition, which was set for October 12. Police aimed to question her about the 10 million rupees (approximately $30,000) in donations collected by her Siriliya Saviya charity for a PET scanner meant for a local children's cancer hospital.

Investigators claimed the scanner had already been donated by China, yet the charity allegedly continued soliciting donations and misused the funds.

Other Rajapaksa family members have also faced legal issues. Her eldest son, opposition lawmaker Namal Rajapaksa, is currently in custody over allegations tied to a 2013 Airbus aircraft deal during his father's presidency. The Rajapaksa family has consistently denied the corruption allegations, claiming the cases against them are politically motivated. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa served from 2005 to 2015 and remains a prominent political figure in Sri Lanka, despite the family's recent setbacks.