Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo on Friday. The arrest occurred when he appeared to provide a statement regarding allegations of misuse of public funds for a private trip during his presidency.
Colombo: Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo on Friday. The arrest occurred when he arrived to give a statement in connection with allegations of misusing public funds for a personal trip during his tenure as president. According to local media reports, Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived at the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on Friday morning to provide a statement. An FCID official stated, "We are presenting him before the Colombo Fort Magistrate."
Case of Arrest
According to local media reports, Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived at the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on Friday morning to provide a statement. An FCID official stated, "We are presenting him before the Colombo Fort Magistrate. He has been arrested on charges of using state resources for personal use."
The case against the former president and his wife, Maithree Wickremesinghe, is related to their 2023 trip to London. During that time, they attended a function at the University of Wolverhampton while returning from Havana. Police allege that the expenses for this trip included government funds and payments to security personnel.
Ranil Wickremesinghe has consistently denied these allegations, stating that his wife personally covered all the expenses of the trip and no government funds were used. However, the CID believes that there was improper use of government resources during the trip.
Political Background of Ranil Wickremesinghe
Ranil Wickremesinghe became the President of Sri Lanka in July 2022, following the resignation of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa's resignation was preceded by months of nationwide protests against corruption and economic mismanagement. Wickremesinghe is credited with stabilizing the country's economy after Sri Lanka's severe economic recession.
He implemented several difficult economic reforms and succeeded in securing international assistance. However, he faced defeat in the presidential election held in September 2024, losing to opposition leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake. His arrest may raise questions about Sri Lanka's political and economic stability, as the case against the former president is directly related to the misuse of public funds and corruption.
