Former Sri Lankan First Lady Arrested Over Alleged Donations Misuse

Wed Oct 07 2026 22:21:04 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Shiranthi Rajapaksa, 73, was detained in Colombo after accusations that funds raised for a children’s hospital were misappropriated. The case has revived scrutiny over the Rajapaksa family's ties to corruption.

Sri Lanka’s ex‑first lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, was arrested in Colombo amid allegations that a charity she is linked to misused donations intended for a specialised scanner at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital. Officials said a Chinese‑donated scanner was already in place, but prosecutors are investigating the 10 million rupee ($30k) fund. Rajapaksa denied wrongdoing and said the money remains safe. The arrest follows a surge of corruption probes against the former Rajapaksa family in a post‑protest era. The case highlights ongoing tensions as the new government under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake seeks to curb alleged abuses of power.

Former Sri Lankan First Lady Arrested Over Alleged Donations Misuse

Shiranthi Rajapaksa, seated in a vehicle — Rajapaksa was arrested two days after returning to Sri Lanka from Singapore

Sri Lanka's former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa has been arrested over allegations that a charity she is linked to misused donations raised for a children's hospital.

Anti‑corruption authorities detained the 73‑year‑old wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at their Colombo home on Wednesday.

Investigators are questioning her regarding the 10 million rupees (about US$30,300) collected by the Siriliya Saviya charity, which was earmarked for a specialised scanner for Colombo’s Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital.

Officials pointed out that the scanner had already been donated by the Chinese government.

Rajapaksa has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the money has not been misappropriated.

She returned to Sri Lanka from Singapore, where she was receiving medical treatment, on Monday. The court set a hearing for 12 October, while she sought to prevent her arrest earlier this week.

Rajapaksa’s spokesman, Manoj Gamage, said the funds are safe in Siriliya’s accounts and that no fraud has occurred.

Mahinda Rajapaksa served as president from 2005 to 2015 and was once lauded for quelling the Tamil Tiger insurgency in 2009. In 2022 widespread protests erupted over soaring inflation and shortages of fuel, food and medicine, ultimately toppling his brother, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The current administration, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has intensified investigations into the Rajapaksa family’s past corruption allegations.

Earlier this year, Mahinda’s eldest son, Namal Rajapaksa, was arrested over an aircraft procurement deal, and his brother Yoshitha was also detained on corruption charges.