Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe appeared before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today in connection with a case filed under the Public Property Act.
The complaint alleges that during his tenure as President, Wickremesinghe misused state funds to travel to London to attend his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe’s graduation ceremony.
Wickremesinghe was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in August 2025 over the alleged misuse of approximately Rs. 16.9 million in public funds during an official visit to the United Kingdom in late 2023. The trip was part of a broader visit to the United States, and he was reportedly accompanied by a delegation funded by the Sri Lankan government.
He was arrested on 22 August before being remanded until August 26, a historic first for a Sri Lankan head of state.
After reviewing medical reports submitted on his behalf, Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura ordered that the former President be released on three personal bail bonds of Rs. 5 million each.
When the case was taken up again on October 29, 2025, the Magistrate directed that investigations be concluded by today, January 28, 2026. (NewsWire)