Ranil Wickremesinghe Remanded Until 26 August

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.