Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell (58), was also arrested in early April, but released without charge. He was the director of the party bureau. She later promised her “full cooperation”.
Sturgeon is the third person to be arrested as part of Operation Branchform, the Scottish Police investigation into allegations against the party of financial fraud involving more than £600,000 in donations from an independence campaign.
In addition to Sturgeon’s husband, the SNP accountant was also arrested and released without charge. On April 5, Sturgeon’s home and party headquarters in Edinburgh were searched.
Sturgeon came to power in Scotland after the failed Scottish independence referendum in 2014, but was never able to force a second attempt. When she resigned in February after eight years as prime minister, it was like a bolt from the blue.