Colombo, August 24: Sri Lanka’s former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested on Friday on charges of misusing state funds during his tenure, making him the first former head of state in the country’s history to be taken into custody, officials said.
The 76-year-old leader, who also served six terms as prime minister, was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department before being remanded in custody until Aug. 26, when the next hearing is scheduled.
The case relates to Wickremesinghe’s September 2023 trip to Britain while he was president, during which he attended a university ceremony honouring his wife, a senior academic. His party denied any wrongdoing, saying the visit was part of an official itinerary that included addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York and holding diplomatic meetings in London.
Wickremesinghe, leader of the centre-right United National Party, took office in July 2022 after Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned amid mass protests over Sri Lanka’s economic collapse. He is credited with steering the country toward stability during two years in office, but lost the 2024 presidential election to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who campaigned on an anti-corruption platform.
Friday’s arrest comes amid a wider anti-graft drive in Sri Lanka, with several senior politicians and officials detained in recent months. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told parliament that the law was being “applied equally” to all.
The arrest drew mixed reactions, with opposition lawmakers and former politicians, including ex-President Maithripala Sirisena and Namal Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, seen at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
The move marks Wickremesinghe’s second legal setback in recent months. In July, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled that the state of emergency he declared in 2022 as acting president was unconstitutional and violated fundamental rights.
