Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is in remand custody over the misuse of state funds, has been granted bail by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
The case was taken up before Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura. While the former President did not appear in court due to his health conditions, he was presented via Zoom from the Colombo National Hospital during the proceedings.
The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today released Ranil Wickremesinghe on three sureties of Rs. 05 million each.
The case has been fixed for hearing on 29th October 2025.
During court proceedings, opposing the granting of bail to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris observed that the legality of the invitation extended to Wickremesinghe by the University of Wolverhampton has not yet been verified.
President’s Counsel Thilak Marapana, appearing on behalf of Wickremesinghe, submitted that the internal audit officer of the Presidential Secretariat does not have the authority to audit the matter.
He further stated that an audit conducted by the National Audit Office revealed no evidence of financial misappropriation in relation to the funds obtained under the president’s expenditure head.
Citing special considerations regarding Wickremesinghe’s health, President’s Counsel Anuja Premarathne also submitted medical records indicating that three of his four coronary arteries are blocked.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested last Friday and remanded until today over allegations of misusing state funds for a personal overseas tour during his Presidency.
Following his remand, he was transferred to the Prison Hospital, and later to the Colombo National Hospital, and now remains in the ICU.
Ranil Wickremesinghe became the first former head of state to be arrested in Sri Lanka after being taken into custody by the CID last week.
He is accused of having misused state funds during his visit to the United Kingdom in late 2023, during his presidency. According to the Police, a delegation accompanied him on the London leg of his trip to the USA, and roughly Rs. 16.9 million in Sri Lankan government funds were spent on the trip. (Newswire)
