In a significant political event, Sri Lanka's former president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has been arrested amidst serious allegations concerning the misuse of government funds. The police revealed that he faces three specific charges related to foreign trips undertaken while in office. Arriving at Colombo's magistrates' court after providing a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Wickremesinghe was remanded in custody with his bail request denied, despite citing health issues.
Former President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe Arrested Over Fund Misuse
Former President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe Arrested Over Fund Misuse
Former president Ranil Wickremesinghe faces arrest for alleged misuse of state funds during his presidency from 2022 to 2024.
Wickremesinghe, in power from 2022 until 2024, took office following a popular revolt spurred by an unprecedented economic crisis that forced his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to flee. Even though he has been credited with aiding in the economic recovery of Sri Lanka, his political journey has been tumultuous. Notably, he served six terms as prime minister since the 1990s.
The CID's claims focus particularly on a stopover in the UK during a trip back from the G77 summit in Cuba, where Wickremesinghe and his wife participated in a ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton. The prosecution asserts that this was a private outing disguised as a public duty, a charge Wickremesinghe firmly denies. With 23 foreign trips recorded at a cost exceeding Rs 600 million (approximately $2 million), his administration has faced scrutiny over the allocated expenditures.
Wickremesinghe is notable for being the first former Sri Lankan president to face arrest, marking a crucial turning point in the island nation's political landscape. With a lineage consisting of politicians and entrepreneurs, his political ascent began when he was first elected as an MP in 1977. His leadership of the United National Party (UNP) saw efforts to eradicate corruption within its ranks, which had tarnished its reputation over the years. Wickremesinghe's long-awaited presidency came after Rajapaksa's departure, although it was a challenging tenure that concluded with a loss in the 2024 elections to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a leftist candidate. As political tensions rise, the implications of this arrest for both Wickremesinghe and Sri Lankan politics remain to be seen.
The CID's claims focus particularly on a stopover in the UK during a trip back from the G77 summit in Cuba, where Wickremesinghe and his wife participated in a ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton. The prosecution asserts that this was a private outing disguised as a public duty, a charge Wickremesinghe firmly denies. With 23 foreign trips recorded at a cost exceeding Rs 600 million (approximately $2 million), his administration has faced scrutiny over the allocated expenditures.
Wickremesinghe is notable for being the first former Sri Lankan president to face arrest, marking a crucial turning point in the island nation's political landscape. With a lineage consisting of politicians and entrepreneurs, his political ascent began when he was first elected as an MP in 1977. His leadership of the United National Party (UNP) saw efforts to eradicate corruption within its ranks, which had tarnished its reputation over the years. Wickremesinghe's long-awaited presidency came after Rajapaksa's departure, although it was a challenging tenure that concluded with a loss in the 2024 elections to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a leftist candidate. As political tensions rise, the implications of this arrest for both Wickremesinghe and Sri Lankan politics remain to be seen.
