COLOMBO: (Bernama-Xinhua) Former Sri Lankan first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested on Wednesday (Oct 7) by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, reported Xinhua.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa was arrested at her residence in a Colombo suburb after investigators recorded a statement from her for nearly two hours, according to the commission.
She was taken into custody over allegations of financial irregularities and transactions involving an account linked to the Siriliya Saviya Fund, a charity founded by her.
Authorities have been examining claims that millions of rupees received as donations by the foundation were not properly accounted for and may have been diverted for purposes unrelated to its stated charitable objectives.
The former first lady is another member of the Rajapaksa family to have been arrested amid the incumbent Sri Lankan administration’s sweeping crackdown on bribery and graft.
On Sept 4, Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of Mahinda and Shiranthi Rajapaksa, was arrested by the bribery investigation body over charges linked to the purchase of wide-body aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.
He was granted bail on Sept 30. - Bernama-Xinhua
