Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), has been remanded until August 26 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
The order was issued by Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura. Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, appearing for the CID, told the court that evidence would be presented against the suspect under the Public Property Act. He further requested that the accused be remanded as investigations were still ongoing.
However, President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne, representing the defendant, argued for his release on bail, presenting evidence in court. After considering submissions from both parties, the Magistrate rejected the bail request and ordered Wickremesinghe to be remanded until August 26.
The former President was arrested today (22) after arriving at the CID to record a statement regarding his visit to London during his presidency, allegedly using state funds. The visit, in September 2023, was to attend a graduation ceremony of his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, at the University of Wolverhampton.
According to investigators, Wickremesinghe had stopped in London on his return from Havana, where he attended the G77 summit. The CID alleged that government funds were used for his travel and that the state also covered expenses for his security detail.
Wickremesinghe, however, has maintained that his wife bore her own travel expenses and insisted that no state funds were used for the private visit.
Earlier, on June 24, the CID presented evidence before the Fort Magistrate’s Court. Statements were later recorded from Sandra Perera, Wickremesinghe’s former private secretary, and Saman Ekanayake, former Presidential Secretary.
Following today’s statement recording at CID headquarters, Wickremesinghe was taken into custody on allegations of “misusing government funds.”
