Why was Ranil Wickremesinghe arrested?

22 August 2025 03:22 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 10 Bookmark

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Colombo, August 22 (Daily Mirror) - Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested on Friday after being summoned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), on misuse of state funds regarding a private overseas trip.

This marks him as the first former president in Sri Lanka to be arrested.

Allegations

Investigators allege that former president Ranil Wickremesinghe diverted state funds to cover a private trip to London in late 2023, disguising it as part of an official tour. A police B-report filed in a Colombo court states that Wickremesinghe traveled to the United Kingdom on September 22–23, 2023, to attend his wife’s PhD graduation ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton.

According to the report, this visit had no official purpose and was instead added onto Wickremesinghe’s state trip to Cuba and the United States. After completing his engagements in the U.S., he is said to have flown to Britain specifically for the family event.

A delegation accompanied him to London, with government records showing that around Rs. 16.9 million – roughly $50,000 – in public funds were spent on airfare, accommodation, and related expenses. Investigators argue that the London leg amounted to a personal detour funded by taxpayers, constituting potential misappropriation of state property and resources.

Authorities claim that charging the personal visit to the state was an abuse of presidential privilege for private benefit, a violation of Sri Lankan laws on public finance and trust. If formally indicted, Wickremesinghe could face prosecution under anti-corruption statutes or the Public Property Act for misusing government resources.

Inquiries

The inquiry into Ranil Wickremesinghe’s travel expenses has been ongoing for several months. In late June 2025, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that it had launched a special probe into an overseas trip by the former president that was “reportedly funded with public money.”

To support the investigation, officers submitted a detailed B-report outlining the allegations and financial findings, which enabled the continuation of the inquiry. As part of evidence-gathering, the CID questioned two of Wickremesinghe’s former senior aides in early August: then-presidential secretary Saman Ekanayake and private secretary Sandra Perera. Both had been directly involved in arranging or authorizing the 2023 London visit, and their statements were recorded to determine how the trip was approved and expensed.

Following weeks of preliminary work, investigators moved to obtain Wickremesinghe’s own account. On August 22, 2025, the former president arrived at CID headquarters in Colombo after being summoned to provide a statement regarding the disputed trip.

After several hours of questioning, Wickremesinghe was placed under arrest in the early afternoon. He was expected to be produced before a Colombo magistrate to formalize the arrest and face possible remand proceedings.

Comments - 10

Deal makers Friday, 22 August 2025 03:28 PM

Looks like someone has agreed to let the real crooks go free. The ones who robbed billions are roaming free while this drama unfolds. Intelligence level of voters will be on display once again through the kind of leaders they continue to elect.

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Rakitha W Friday, 22 August 2025 03:40 PM

Why wasn't he arrested until now?

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Ranil Saturday, 23 August 2025 01:11 AM

@Rakitha This is called “selective prosecution” and targeted persecution.

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Shahul Hamza Friday, 22 August 2025 03:41 PM

Now a despicable Country. Replacing Gratitude, Culture, Love and Friendship is Hatred, Falsehood, Revenge and Imprisonment. New NPP Culture !! Good Luck People !!

26 11

roobarbie Friday, 22 August 2025 06:21 PM

Law is equal to everybody under NPP governments. Doing their normal duty does not give them privileges to misuse public funds. If anything they should be protecting public funds from misuse. We will also here more of the great bond scam at the Central Bank, allegedly msaterminded by Ranil W and his acolyte Mahendran. This is just the start.

3 9

Aela Friday, 22 August 2025 03:45 PM

This guy deserves to be remanded for all his covert misdoings.

5 19

Kandy man Friday, 22 August 2025 03:52 PM

It’s purely a private visit, this can’t be construed as an official visit.His arrest is legitimate .

4 17

Mina Friday, 22 August 2025 03:56 PM

This is not revenge taking this is enforcing the law in the proper sense.

3 18

Adwani Friday, 22 August 2025 08:57 PM

@Mina - If this is not revenge, than what happened to USD reserves of 7 billiion with Central Bank?????

4 4

RanjithT Friday, 22 August 2025 04:35 PM

SHAME Comrade Shame. Everybody new for the last couple of days RW will be taken into custody today. It was a public secret and how people knew before the fact makes it dubious. In any case when flying from NY to CMB usual routes are via Dubai, Paris or London. Any airline which provided the tickets would give a stop over in London to the President and his entourage. It is normal and no additional cost. Now if it was a private trip still it is the responsibility of the state( not the government) to provide security. That is not mis appropriation of funds. I have read that comrade president has visited his mother in Thamuthegama. Did he go alone in a bus or a train. No he used the official car. Was he not provided with security though visiting the mother is a private matter. This shows how the comrades small mean hypocritic mind work. Professor Maithree is one of the most respected persons in this country and in the world of academic community unlike some aunties.

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