Anti-corruption officials in Sri Lanka arrested Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the former first lady and wife of ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at their Colombo residence. The arrest relates to allegations concerning the Siriliya Saviya charity organization, which the authorities say collected approximately 10 million rupees in donations ostensibly earmarked for a specialized medical scanner to be installed at Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Colombo.
According to investigators, the donated funds appear problematic because the Chinese government had already provided a scanner to the facility prior to the charity’s fundraising efforts. Rajapaksa has maintained her innocence, asserting that no misappropriation of funds has taken place. Her legal representatives note that the money remains secure in the charity’s bank accounts. A spokesperson for her husband similarly rejected the fraud allegations, reiterating that the funds have been properly safeguarded.
Rajapaksa had recently returned to Colombo from Singapore, where she had been undergoing medical care. She had sought court intervention to block her arrest, though a hearing on the matter was scheduled for later in the month. The arrest marks the latest development in an intensified anti-corruption campaign under the current administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who assumed office following civil unrest in the country.
The Rajapaksa family has faced multiple investigations since the political upheaval. Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of Shiranthi and Mahinda, was detained earlier in the year in connection with an aircraft procurement matter dating to his father’s presidency and remains in custody. His brother Yoshitha was also arrested earlier this year on separate corruption allegations.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI