Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe Arrested Over Alleged Misuse of Public Funds

Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Friday morning. The arrest stems from allegations that he misused government funds for a private trip. The case is related to his wife, Prof. Maithree Wickremesinghe’s graduation ceremony in London. The 76-year-old Wickremesinghe was summoned to the CID office on Friday to record his statement but was taken into custody after questioning. Police officials stated he will be presented before the Colombo Fort Magistrate. The CID alleges that Wickremesinghe misused government resources during a London trip in September 2023. The expenses of his private security guards were also covered by the state treasury. In September 2023, Wickremesinghe had traveled to Havana, Cuba, to attend the G77 summit. On his return journey, he stopped in London to attend his wife’s graduation ceremony. The CID claims that this entire trip was undertaken for personal reasons rather than official business, but the state bore the expenses. The former President denies all charges. He claims his wife covered her own travel and accommodation expenses, and no government funds were used for personal matters. He called it a politically motivated action, saying that the case is beyond the facts. Previously, police had questioned Wickremesinghe’s staff and officials about the travel expenses. Investigation agencies say the arrest was made after sufficient evidence was found. Wickremesinghe became President in July 2022, after Gotabaya Rajapaksa stepped down following months of protests against corruption. Wickremesinghe is credited with handling the situation after major economic difficulties. He lost in a close election against the leftist A.K. Dissanayake in September 2024.