Former Sri Lankan first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrested on charges of misusing donation funds and corruption
Shiranthi Rajapaksa has been jailed pending investigation into alleged corruption. Authorities accuse her of misusing donation funds during her time as first lady of the island nation.
Sri Lanka's former first lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of misusing donation funds and corruption, according to police. She was detained at her home and later taken to court, where a judge ordered her detention for a week while investigations continued. The arrest came after Rajapaksa allegedly misused funds from a state bank donation intended for a hospital scanner.
The bank's head was also arrested for allegedly bypassing procedures to release the money to the charity. Her son, Namal Rajapaksa, a lawmaker, has been detained on bribery charges. The former first couple's son and his family, who held powerful positions in the government during the Rajapaksa years, have faced numerous allegations of bribery and corruption.
Their popularity had waned after their re-election in 2010 due to widespread accusations of corruption and the suppression of freedoms, leading to their defeat in the 2015 election.
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