Former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa is due to be questioned by the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) over a Rs. 10 million deposit made by the National Savings Bank (NSB) into an account operated by Siriliya Saviya, which she headed, according to reports.
The investigation concerns allegations surrounding funds collected for the purported purchase of a CT scanner for the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo.
According to state-owned newspaper Dinamina, the investigation has raised questions over the use of the funds after it was revealed that the Chinese government had donated a CT scanner to the hospital free of charge.
The FCID’s Financial Crimes Investigation Unit has already questioned several bank officials and members of the NSB’s Board of Directors who served at the time of the transaction.
Investigators have reportedly established that the Rs. 10 million was transferred to Siriliya Saviya accounts maintained at the Maradana and Suduwella branches following a written request from the organisation.
A senior police officer said investigations are focused on determining how the money was used, given that it had reportedly been obtained from a state-owned bank for the purchase of a CT scanner but was not used for that stated purpose.
The officer said Shiranthi Rajapaksa was scheduled to provide a statement to investigators but was reportedly unwell at the time. Her questioning is expected to take place at a later date.
Police have also indicated that investigators are examining several other matters relating to the Siriliya Saviya account as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The senior officer further said Rajapaksa had previously been questioned for more than four hours on February 3 in connection with the account.
