Colombo (August 22): Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested on Friday on allegations of misusing state funds, according to Newswire Lanka.
Officials said Wickremesinghe was taken into custody after appearing before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo. His arrest is linked to charges of using government money to finance a private trip to London, where he attended a university graduation ceremony. Investigators maintain that the visit, which was part of a broader overseas tour, was not an official engagement but was funded with public resources.
Earlier this month, former presidential secretary Saman Ekanayake and former private secretary Sandra Perera were questioned in connection with arranging the visit. Court proceedings and formal charges are expected to follow, officials said.
Wickremesinghe, who served as Sri Lanka’s president from 2022 to 2024 after previously holding the prime minister’s office six times, is the most senior political figure in recent years to face arrest. His detention is likely to intensify public scrutiny over the use of public funds by top officials.
Wickremesinghe rose to the presidency in July 2022 following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation amid mass protests, but lost the 2024 election to Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the National People’s Power party.