Sri Lanka’s former ruling Rajapaksa family faces a widening wave of arrests and investigations, from alleged charity misuse to bribery and money laundering. The cases follow the family’s fall from power after the 2022 protests and a new anti-corruption drive.
01Summary
- 01Shiranthi Rajapaksa, 73, was arrested on 7 October and her custody was extended until Friday.
- 02She is accused of misusing nearly 100m rupees ($30,000) donated for a children’s hospital through her Siriliya Saviya foundation.
- 03Her son Namal Rajapaksa, 40, was arrested a month earlier over bribery charges and remains in custody.
- 04Namal is also being tried over an alleged $30,000 bribe in an Airbus deal and is linked to another alleged $211,000 bribe.
- 05Other Rajapaksa relatives, including Yoshitha, Shasheendra and Basil, are also facing probes or legal action.
02Why it matters
The cases show how far Sri Lanka’s once-dominant political family has fallen and how the new government is using corruption cases against former leaders. They also matter because they involve allegations linked to state deals, public donations and the 2019 Easter bombings.
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