Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Shiranthi Rajapaksa Arrested Over Alleged Hospital Donation Misuse
Shiranthi Rajapaksa is the wife of Sri Lanka’s former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Authorities arrested her while investigating money given to a charity she ran.
A state bank gave the charity 10 million rupees to help buy a special scanner for a children’s hospital.
Investigators say China had already donated a scanner.
A court was also told that the money was allegedly used to buy a house.
Rajapaksa says she did nothing wrong, and her husband’s spokesperson says the money is still in the charity’s account.
A court ordered her held while the investigation continues.
Reports give different dates for her arrest and describe her detention period differently.
Sri Lankan anti-corruption authorities arrested Shiranthi Rajapaksa over a state-bank donation to her charity.
The 10 million-rupee donation was intended to buy a specialised scanner for Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Colombo.
Investigators say China had already donated a scanner; a court filing also alleged the funds were used to buy a house.
Rajapaksa denies wrongdoing, and her husband’s spokesperson says the money remains in the charity’s accounts.
Reports differ on the arrest date: one says September 7, while another says October 7; the latter reports detention until October 13.
- Who
- Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the Siriliya Saviya charity.
- What
- Rajapaksa was arrested and detained during an investigation into a 10 million-rupee state-bank donation to her charity.
- When
- The reports disagree: one gives September 7, while another says October 7 and reports detention until October 13.
- Where
- Colombo, Sri Lanka; the donation was intended for Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital.
- Why
- Authorities are investigating the handling of money intended to buy a hospital scanner; they say a scanner had already been donated by China, and prosecutors alleged the funds bought a house.
Investigators’ allegations
Rajapaksa’s response
Use of the donation
Investigators’ allegations
Authorities are investigating the 10 million-rupee donation, and prosecutors reportedly alleged it was used to buy a house rather than a scanner.
Rajapaksa’s response
Shiranthi Rajapaksa denies wrongdoing; her husband’s spokesperson says the money remains in the charity’s account and no fraud occurred.
Need for the scanner
Investigators’ allegations
Officials say a scanner had already been donated by the Chinese government.
Rajapaksa’s response
The reports do not provide a separate response from Rajapaksa about the scanner donation.
- Donation under investigation
- 10 million Sri Lankan rupees from the National Savings Bank.
- Recipient
- Siriliya Saviya, a charity associated with Shiranthi Rajapaksa.
- Stated purpose
- Purchase of a specialised scanner for Colombo’s Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital.
- Additional allegation
- Prosecutors reportedly alleged that the funds were used to buy a house in Torrington.
- Rajapaksa’s response
- She denied wrongdoing; her husband’s spokesperson said the money remained in the charity’s accounts and no fraud occurred.
- Detention reported
- One report says a court ordered her detained for a week; another says she was held until October 13.
- Date discrepancy
- The reports give September 7 and October 7 as the arrest date.
