Sri Lanka Arrests Ex-First Lady in Charity Graft Probe
Investigators say her charity collected 10 million rupees for a scanner already donated by China, and she denies wrongdoing.
- On Wednesday, Sri Lanka's anti-graft authority arrested First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa in Colombo over allegations that her Siriliya Saviya Foundation misused donations collected for a children's hospital.
- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's government has revived long-dormant corruption investigations into The Rajapaksa family, which dominated Sri Lankan politics for nearly two decades.
- Investigators claim the charity solicited 10 million rupees for a PET scanner already donated by the Chinese government, yet the Siriliya Saviya allegedly continued collecting funds.
- Shiranthi returned to Sri Lanka on Monday after filing a court petition seeking to prevent her arrest; the anticipatory bail hearing is set for October 12. She has denied any wrongdoing.
- Other family members face legal troubles, including opposition lawmaker Namal Rajapaksa, who remains in remand custody over a 2013 Airbus aircraft deal. The Rajapaksa consistently dismisses these cases as politically motivated.
69 Articles
69 Articles
Saudi Gazette
AlKhaleej TodayFormer Sri Lankan first lady arrested on corruption charges
The wife of Sri Lanka's powerful former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been arrested over allegations that a charity she is linked to when she was first lady misused donations raised for a children's hospital.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrested: What is case against Sri Lanka's ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s wife?
Shiranthi Rajapaksa is being questionined her over the 10 million rupees ($30,300) of donations from a state bank received by the Siriliya Saviya charity, meant to be spent on a specialised scanner for Colombo's Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital, news agecies said.
Sri Lankan justice adds a new case to the pile of cases concerning the former Rajapaksa presidential family. Suspected of embezzlement, the former First Lady of the country during the Mahinda Rajapaksa era was placed in pre-trial detention on Wednesday, 7 October.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
