A member of the Rajapaksa family has denied reports that Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, left the country despite being summoned by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) to provide a statement.

The family member said Shiranthi Rajapaksa had not received any prior summons from the FCID requiring her to appear before the division.
According to the family member, Shiranthi Rajapaksa had travelled directly to the airport from a private hospital, where she had been receiving treatment.

The family member claimed that the letter from the FCID was handed over to Shiranthi Rajapaksa by an airport official near the departure gate, shortly before her scheduled flight was due to depart at 12:50 a.m. today (16).

It was further claimed that the notification was issued and delivered only after she had arrived at the airport and was preparing to leave the country.

The family member therefore rejected reports that Shiranthi Rajapaksa had knowingly departed the country while under an earlier FCID summons, maintaining that she had not been notified by the FCID prior to her arrival at the airport.

Shiranthi Rajapaksa is expected to return to the country on September 19, according to a family member.