The fate of 73-year-old Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is currently being decided between a courtroom and a hospital ward. Amidst intense uncertainty surrounding her health for several weeks, a spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) announced today (October 23) that she has successfully undergone her first heart surgery.
The spokesperson further stated that the surgery was performed after an emergency situation arose while she was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo, and that she would require another open-heart surgery in the future. However, the exact nature of this surgery, the name of the hospital, or official medical and judicial reports regarding it have not yet been independently released to the media.
This medical crisis for Shiranthi Rajapaksa arises alongside a serious legal issue. On October 7, she was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on charges of allegedly misappropriating 10 million rupees from the National Savings Bank through the 'Siriliya Saviya' account in 2010, purportedly for the acquisition of a CT scanner for the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo. It is also mentioned that the Chinese government had contributed to the said fund.
After her arrest and subsequent remand, she suffered a sudden heart attack on October 12 at Welikada Prison. Immediately thereafter, steps were taken to admit her to cardiac wards 61 and 62 at the National Hospital in Colombo.
Following this, intense debates arose in court regarding her health condition. On October 13, while she was receiving treatment at the National Hospital, her lawyer, Mr. Anil Silva, informed the court that she was undergoing or scheduled for open-heart surgery. However, prison and hospital reports summoned by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama revealed that no such surgery had been performed or even planned. The National Hospital report confirmed that only an angiogram had been performed on her at that time. Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered her further remand.
Lawyers representing the defense informed the court that she had been suffering from a heart condition since 2019. According to tests conducted in Singapore, she has a high coronary calcium score as well as triple vessel disease. Additionally, brain scan reports, spinal problems, varicose veins, and a risk of sudden dizziness or fainting were mentioned. Lawyer Dileepa Peiris appeared in court representing CIABOC for the prosecution.
However, the turning point in this series of events occurred on October 16. An official medical report issued by the National Hospital recommended that Shiranthi Rajapaksa definitely required bypass surgery. Considering this medical recommendation as a special circumstance, the court granted her bail on a cash bail of one hundred thousand rupees and two personal sureties of 10 million rupees each. In addition, a travel ban was imposed on her.
Following the bail order, she was transferred from the National Hospital in Colombo to Nawaloka Private Hospital around October 18, based on medical advice. Although rumors had spread earlier that she had undergone bypass surgery at Nawaloka Hospital on September 10, these were never officially confirmed.
As of now, based on the statement from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, it is reported that she has undergone one emergency heart surgery, but her medical crisis is not yet entirely over. With the purported open-heart surgery scheduled for the future, and the serious financial misappropriation charge still being investigated despite her release on bail, the former First Lady is simultaneously facing immense health and legal challenges.
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