Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested after being questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations that he misused public funds to finance a private trip to London in 2023.
Police allege the 76-year-old leader diverted state money to cover expenses when he travelled to Britain to attend the PhD graduation of his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, at the University of Wolverhampton. The visit, investigators say, was tagged onto an official tour of Cuba and the United States but had no government purpose. Funds of about $50,000 was reportedly spent on airfare, accommodation, and related costs for the London leg.
The CID inquiry began earlier this year, with Mr. Wickremesinghe’s former presidential secretary Saman Ekanayake and private secretary Sandra Perera questioned about their roles in arranging the trip. Earlier today, the ex-president was taken into custody. A short while ago, he was produced before Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
The arrest marks the first time in years that a Sri Lankan head of state has faced detention on corruption allegations. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament that the law applies equally to everyone and warned that no office-bearer is beyond scrutiny.
Mr. Wickremesinghe’s party, the United National Party (UNP), released an official invitation from the University of Wolverhampton addressed to the president and first lady, insisting that no public funds were misused. The former leader has also denied the charges.
Parliament today witnessed sharp exchanges over the case. MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake questioned how a YouTuber appeared to predict Wickremesinghe’s arrest before it happened, calling it “a joke.” Former minister Ali Sabry urged an end to what he described as a cycle of political retribution, recalling Wickremesinghe’s role in stabilizing the country during crises in 1993, 2000 and 2022.
Mr. Wickremesinghe, who led Sri Lanka from 2022 to 2024, now faces the possibility of indictment under anti-corruption laws and the Public Property Act. His detention is seen as a major test of Colombo’s promise to hold powerful figures accountable amid public anger over past abuses of state resources.
