COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was remanded in custody after being arrested earlier Friday (Aug 22) on allegations he misused government funds while head of state in 2023.
Local TV showed Wickremesinghe appearing at the Fort Magistrate’s Court in Colombo on Friday afternoon.
Wickremesinghe had been taken into custody by the police criminal investigation department after appearing at its headquarters "to provide a statement in connection with ongoing investigations,” the government said on its website.
Officials from Wickremesinghe’s party and his former secretary did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The order to remand Wickremesinghe until the next hearing on Aug. 26 was delivered after several hours of proceedings, a recess and power outage at the courtroom.
Wickremesinghe was defeated in an election last year by populist outsider Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who campaigned on a platform to combat corruption.
Wickremesinghe came to power in 2022 following street protests over the island nation’s unprecedented economic crisis and debt default.
In addition to serving as president, Wickremesinghe had multiple terms as Sri Lanka’s prime minister and has held other ministerial roles. He helped broker an International Monetary Fund bailout in 2023.
AFP reported Wickremesinghe was taken into custody following questioning over a September 2023 visit to London, during which he allegedly used government funds for private travel. - Bloomberg
