Sri Lanka’s ex-first lady arrested in charity corruption probe

Shiranthi Rajapaksa is facing allegations that her charity misused US$30,000 in donations collected for a children’s hospital

Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption authority arrested former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa on Wednesday over allegations that her charity misused donations collected for a children’s hospital.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s government has revived long-dormant corruption investigations involving members of the once-powerful Rajapaksa family, which dominated Sri Lankan politics for nearly two decades.

The 73-year-old wife of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was arrested in Colombo and driven to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) for further interrogation.