Former First Lady of Sri Lanka Shiranthi Rajapaksa has been remanded in custody for a week as part of an investigation into corruption and the misuse of donations. She is accused of violating the procedure for handling funds that a state bank transferred to her charitable foundation for the purchase of a medical scanner for a state hospital.
WHAT HAPPENED
According to Euronews, police questioned Shiranthi Rajapaksa at her home before taking her to court. The court ordered that the former First Lady be remanded in custody for a week while the investigation continues.
Rajapaksa is accused of using funds that the foundation received from a state bank in a manner inconsistent with the purpose of the donation. The money was intended for the purchase of a medical scanner for a state hospital.
HOW THE CASE IS LINKED TO THE STATE BANK
As part of the investigation, the head of the state bank at the time was arrested. He was suspected of bypassing established procedures when transferring the funds to the charitable foundation.
He was later released on bail by the court.
WHO ELSE IN THE RAJAPAKSA FAMILY IS IN CUSTODY
Shiranthi Rajapaksa is the wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who, together with his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa, led the military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In 2009, the conflict, which had lasted 26 years, came to an end.
The former President's son and Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa is also in custody on bribery charges.
HOW THE CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS AFFECTED THE RAJAPAKSA FAMILY
After Mahinda Rajapaksa's re-election in 2010, his popularity began to decline amid allegations of bribery, corruption and the suppression of civil liberties. In 2015, he lost the election in which he was seeking a third presidential term.
At the same time, members of the Rajapaksa family held a number of key government positions, which gave the family considerable political influence.
HOW THE INVESTIGATION FITS INTO SRI LANKA'S CURRENT POLITICS
In 2019, Mahinda Rajapaksa's younger brother — Gotabaya Rajapaksa — was elected President of Sri Lanka following a series of attacks on churches and hotels that killed 267 people.
The country was later gripped by a severe economic crisis, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, a decline in tourism and the President's economic decisions. Amid mass protests, Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned and left the country.
He was succeeded as president by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who won the 2024 election. During the campaign, he ran on an anti-corruption platform and promised to hold accountable members of the Rajapaksa family and representatives of previous administrations suspected of corruption.
