The National People’s Power (NPP) lawyers held a press conference today (24) asserting that the opposition is attempting to undermine the ongoing judicial process related to the arrest of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
President’s Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma said the opposition’s repeated public remarks amount to contempt of court and create public distrust in the judiciary. He noted that Wickremesinghe is facing charges under the Penal Code and the Public Property Act over the misuse of more than £44,000 in state funds for a private trip to the UK during his tenure, including attendance at his wife’s graduation ceremony.
Kumarapperuma stressed that under the Public Property Act, any misuse of public funds above Rs. 25,000 is considered a criminal offence, and suspects can be remanded until the trial is concluded unless exceptional grounds for bail are presented. He argued that the case involves an amount exceeding Rs. 18 million in local currency, making the charges serious and legally justified.
Attorney Akalanka Ukwatta said the arrest is the first time a former Sri Lankan president has been taken into custody over a criminal matter. He pointed out that evidence from 32 witnesses and supporting documents had been submitted to court, and that the visit to the UK was not an official engagement. He further stated that opposition attempts to portray the case as political revenge ignore the fact that a structured investigation was carried out before filing charges.
Attorney Hemaka Senanayake added that if the opposition disagreed with the magistrate’s ruling, the proper course of action was to appeal in higher courts, not to launch public campaigns that discredit judicial independence. He accused the opposition of resorting to failed conspiracies to incite the public instead of presenting legal arguments in court.
Attorney Jayantha Dehiangage said the principle of equality before the law applies equally to presidents, ministers and ordinary citizens, and stressed that the government has a mandate to ensure the rule of law without exceptions. He pointed out that global precedents show leaders being investigated and prosecuted, and questioned why Sri Lanka should be an exception.
The NPP lawyers concluded that the judiciary must be allowed to proceed independently, warning that continued opposition criticism outside court amounts to contempt and risks eroding public trust in democratic institutions.
