President’s Counsel Tilak Marapana told court that the sudden death of The Rt Hon Lord Paul of Marylebone, PC, may have been linked to the shock caused by Wickremesinghe’s arrest.
Marapana said Wickremesinghe had travelled to the United Kingdom on the invitation of Lord Paul, who served as Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton since 1999. “This is a ridiculous case. A President is entitled to travel, and all expenses are properly accounted for by the Auditor General. If there was any issue, it would be a surcharge, not an arrest. This action has brought great disrepute to Sri Lanka,” he told court.
He argued that Wickremesinghe’s detention had international repercussions, noting that Lord Paul had invited the former President to attend a function in the UK. “These are distinguished figures who supported Sri Lanka in critical matters such as the LTTE ban and GSP+ concessions. This incident has embarrassed such individuals. Unfortunately, Lord Paul passed away soon after this controversy arose. We do not know if the shock of hearing about the arrest contributed to his death,” Marapana said.
The University of Wolverhampton, in an official statement, confirmed the death of its Chancellor. “We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of our Chancellor, The Rt Hon Lord Paul of Marylebone, PC. Lord Paul was an accomplished leader, an influential voice in business and public life, and a passionate advocate for education, opportunity, and community. He will be remembered with deep respect and affection by our University community,” the statement read.
Lord Paul, a veteran British-Indian industrialist and philanthropist, had been closely associated with the university for over two decades.
Wickremesinghe, who faces allegations of misuse of state funds, was released on bail pending further hearings. (Newswire)