Shiranthi Rajapaksa Denied Permission to Visit Private Hospital
09-Oct-2026.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, will not be taken to a private hospital in Colombo as previously planned. Instead, she will be taken to the National Eye Hospital today (9 October) for further treatment, based on a recommendation from the prison medical officer, the Prisons Department spokesperson has said.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the Welikada Prison’s Magazine Prison on 8 October 2026 to see his wife, who is being held on remand.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa was arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on the morning of 7 October. The arrest relates to allegations that approximately Rs. 10 million was obtained from a state bank under the pretext of purchasing a CT scanner for the Colombo children’s hospital through the Siriliya Saviya organisation, but was subsequently misappropriated for private purposes, allegedly constituting an offence under the Public Property Act.
Pradeep Kariyawasam, the former chairman of the state bank concerned and husband of former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, was also arrested by commission officials in connection with the same investigation.
After recording statements from the suspects, the authorities produced them before Colombo Additional Magistrate Darshima Premaratne on the afternoon of 7 October.
The court ordered the release on bail of the first suspect, Pradeep Kariyawasam. However, Shiranthi Rajapaksa was remanded until 13 October because sufficient special grounds for granting bail under the Public Property Act had not been established.
She was subsequently taken to the Magazine Prison in Welikada, where she is being held under special security arrangements in a secure section of the women’s prison.
In accordance with a court order, arrangements had been made to take her to a private hospital in Colombo on 8 October for the medical examinations and treatment she required.
However, Senaka Pallaththena, the Prisons Department spokesperson and Commissioner of Prisons, said that, following the recommendation and advice of the prison medical officer, she would not be taken to a private hospital. Instead, in accordance with the prison doctor’s written recommendation, she would be taken to the Colombo National Eye Hospital for further treatment.
Meanwhile, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa personally visited the Magazine Prison at Welikada on 8 October to inquire about his wife’s health and well-being.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa had travelled to Singapore for medical treatment on 16 September and returned to Sri Lanka on the night of 5 October.
She had also filed an anticipatory bail application before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court seeking protection against arrest. The court had ordered that the application be taken up for consideration on 12 October.
