Former Sri Lankan first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa detained in corruption probe

Colombo: Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of Sri Lanka’s former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was taken into custody Wednesday over allegations that she misappropriated state donations intended for her charitable foundation during her time as first lady.

Following questioning at her residence, police presented Rajapaksa—who appeared with a bandage over one eye from recent surgery—before a magistrate, who ordered her held in custody for one week as investigations proceed. She was subsequently escorted to a detention facility.

Authorities accuse Rajapaksa of misusing funds donated to her charity by a state bank. The money had been specifically allocated to purchase a medical scanner for a public hospital. The bank official who approved the transfer was also arrested for allegedly bypassing official procedures, though the court subsequently released him on bail.

The arrest marks another legal blow for the prominent political family; her son, lawmaker Namal Rajapaksa, is currently in custody facing separate bribery charges.

Rise and fall of the Rajapaksa dynasty

Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family were long celebrated by Sri Lanka's majority Sinhala Buddhist population after he and his brother, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, directed the military offensive that defeated the Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009, ending a 26-year civil war.

However, public sentiment soured following his 2010 re-election amid widespread allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and political nepotism, as numerous key government posts were distributed among his brothers, sons, and relatives. He was ousted while pursuing a third presidential term in 2015.

The dynasty orchestrated a political comeback in 2019 after national security dominated public concern following the Easter Sunday suicide bombings by Islamic State-inspired militants, which claimed 267 lives across churches and hotels. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa won the presidency later that year.

However, his administration oversaw an unprecedented economic collapse driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, a collapse in tourism, and severe policy missteps. In 2022, mass public demonstrations forced Gotabhaya to flee the country and step down.

The current legal actions align with commitments made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who assumed office in 2024 on an explicit anti-corruption platform promising to prosecute financial crimes and hold members of previous administrations accountable. (AFP)