Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe Arrested Over Allegations of Fund Misuse

Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been arrested by police amid accusations of improper use of state funds for personal foreign travels. His upcoming court appearance follows a statement given to the CID regarding these allegations.

Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who held office from 2022 to 2024, has been arrested following allegations of fund misuse during his presidency, according to police sources. The arrest is reportedly linked to a series of foreign trips he undertook while in office, with a particular focus on a UK visit in 2023 that involved attending a University of Wolverhampton ceremony after returning from a G77 summit in Cuba.

Wickremesinghe is expected to appear in a magistrate's court in Colombo on Friday and had already provided a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). The 76-year-old politician had previously been credited with steering Sri Lanka towards economic recovery amid the island's worst-ever economic crisis, which forced his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to flee the country.

During Wickremesinghe's presidential term, it is reported that he made 23 foreign trips, amounting to a total expenditure exceeding Rs 600 million (approximately $2 million). The CID alleges that the trip to the UK was primarily a private venture, for which state funds were improperly utilized. Wickremesinghe has rejected these allegations, asserting that the trip had valid official purposes.

This story continues to develop as further information and responses emerge. Stay tuned for updates on this significant political event in Sri Lanka.