Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been remanded until 26 August by Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura a short while ago.

Background of the Case

• Tenure: Ranil Wickremesinghe served as Acting President from 20 July 2022 to 23 September 2024.
• Allegation: Misuse of Rs. 16.9 million of state funds for a private overseas trip.

Complaint and Investigation

• 14 March 2025: V. S. Karunaratne lodged a complaint to the President regarding the alleged misuse.
• Internal Inquiry: The Presidential Secretariat conducted an internal investigation following the complaint.
• 23 May 2025: The Presidential Secretary submitted a formal complaint to the Inspector General of Police, prompting the CID investigation.
• Witness Statements: Statements were recorded from 33 witnesses regarding the incident.
• Suspect Naming: Wickremesinghe was named a suspect, taken into custody, and produced in court.
• Prosecution Statement: The Additional Solicitor General briefed the court on the investigation process.

Details of the Alleged Misuse

• Official Visits: Wickremesinghe undertook official trips to Cuba and the United States from 13–20 September 2023.
• Extended Travel: Allegedly extended the visit under the guise of official duties to attend the University of Wolverhampton convocation, where his wife, Maithree Wickremesinghe, received an honorary degree.
• State Funds Used: It is alleged that state funds were used for personal engagements during this period.

Delegation and Expenses

• A ten-member team, including officers from the Presidential Secretariat and police, accompanied the former President.
• Total Expenditure: Rs. 10.66 million over two days.
  • Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 1.33 million
  • Police and Navy contributions: Rs. 12 million

Discrepancies and Conflicting Accounts

• Documentation Issues: Initially marked as a private visit on 16 August 2023; later amended on 7 September 2023 as an official visit.
• Conflicting Testimonies: Former staff including Sandra Perera (private secretary) and Saman Ekanayake (Presidential Secretary) gave differing accounts of the trip.
• Invitation Source: The Wolverhampton convocation invitation came from a private university, not the British government.
• Accommodation: Wickremesinghe stayed at the Landmark Hotel in London (400 km from the university) and later booked rooms near the University of Wolverhampton.

Prosecution Arguments

• Audit reports submitted pertain to general yearly audits, not this specific internal investigation.
• Under the Public Property Act, granting bail could obstruct ongoing investigations.

Defence Arguments

• Wickremesinghe suffers from heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, and other ailments.
• He is the sole caregiver for his wife, who suffers from cancer and arthritis.
• Prison Safety: Facilities would not provide adequate protection for a former President.
• Upcoming Engagement: Scheduled to attend the Commonwealth Youth Council in India as chief guest on Sunday.

Court Proceedings

• Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura postponed the bail order for half an hour to review submissions.
• Court proceedings were briefly interrupted due to a power outage, which was restored by engineers from the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Significance

• This is the first time in Sri Lankan history that a sitting or former Executive President has been taken into custody by the CID, marking a historic legal and political moment in the country.