Sri Lanka detains Shiranthi Rajapaksa over hospital charity funds
Sri Lankan anti-corruption authorities have arrested former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa over allegations that a charity linked to her misused donations intended for a children’s hospital scanner. The case matters as the government revives corruption investigations involving members of the influential Rajapaksa family.
Officials are questioning Rajapaksa about 10 million rupees, reported as $30,300 or £22,800, raised by the Siriliya Saviya charity for Colombo’s Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital. They say China had already donated a scanner, while Rajapaksa denies wrongdoing and says the money has not been appropriated; her husband’s spokesperson says it remains in the charity’s accounts. She returned from Singapore on Monday and was arrested two days later, before a court hearing on her petition to prevent arrest, scheduled for 12 October.
- Shiranthi Rajapaksa was arrested over hospital donation allegations.
- The charity raised 10 million rupees for a scanner.
- Rajapaksa and her husband’s spokesperson deny funds were misused.
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Shiranthi Rajapaksa is the wife of Mahinda Rajapaksa, a former president of Sri Lanka. She is being investigated over allegations that a charity linked to her misused donations intended for a children's hospital scanner. The Siriliya Saviya charity had collected roughly £22,800 for the scanner at Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital in Colombo.
The Rajapaksa family is one of Sri Lanka's most influential political families, with multiple members occupying senior government positions across several decades. The revival of corruption investigations into the family is significant because it suggests the current government is prepared to hold such powerful political figures accountable.
The central question is what happened to the donations. Officials allege the money may have been misused, though Rajapaksa denies wrongdoing and insists the funds remain in the charity's accounts.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Public charities depend entirely on donor trust. Allegations that funds were collected for a scanner already provided through another donation represent a serious breach of that trust and warrant investigation. If donations were solicited under circumstances that misled contributors about genuine need, accountability is essential regardless of the donor's prominence.
The case against
The arrest timing immediately before her court hearing on preventing detention raises legitimate procedural concerns about due process. With funds reportedly still in charity accounts and no demonstrated misappropriation, this appears premature. The targeted focus on Rajapaksa family members within a broader government crackdown suggests political motives rather than principled anti-corruption enforcement.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Sri Lanka’s ex-first lady arrested over alleged misuse of children’s hospital donations”.