Former Sri Lankan president Wickremesinghe arrested over funds misuse

Former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested in Colombo last week on allegations that he misused state funds for a private trip to Britain in 2023 and was later granted bail after being hospitalized in intensive care, officials and local reports said. Wickremesinghe, 76, was taken into custody at the Criminal Investigation Department on August 22 and produced before the Colombo Fort magistrates court before being remanded; the magistrate later ordered his release on bail during a hearing conducted while he joined remotely from the Colombo National Hospital ICU.

Police and the CID have accused Wickremesinghe of using about 16.6 million Sri Lankan rupees, roughly 55,000 dollars, of public money to finance travel, accommodation, vehicles and security for a stopover in the United Kingdom in September 2023 when, prosecutors say, he attended a ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton where his wife received an honorary professorship. The CID has charged him under Sections 386 and 388 of the penal code and Section 51 of the Public Properties Act, offences that carry prison terms of up to 20 years and fines. Investigators have alleged documents were later altered to...