Former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe was admitted to a prison hospital on Saturday after a court denied him bail in connection with allegations of state fund misuse during his tenure.
The 76-year-old veteran politician was remanded by the Colombo Fort magistrate's court until August 26 and transferred to the main Magazine Remand prison late on Friday. Prison officials said Wickremesinghe’s blood sugar and blood pressure levels were elevated, necessitating medical attention.
Wickremesinghe had been summoned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Friday to provide a statement regarding alleged misappropriation of government funds amounting to 16.6 million Sri Lankan rupees. Following his arrest, he was produced before Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura, who, after a session lasting over six hours, remanded him, citing the defence lawyers’ failure to present any special grounds for bail.
The CID has charged Wickremesinghe under Sections 386 and 388 of the penal code and Section 5(1) of the Public Properties Act, offences punishable by one to twenty years in prison.
Several prominent figures, including former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, visited Wickremesinghe in prison. “He was in good spirits and appeared normal. He understands being remanded is part of politics and one’s fate as a politician,” Rajapaksa, 80, told reporters.
Also read: Ex-Sri Lankan Prez Wickremesinghe held in fund misuse case
Sajith Premadasa, a leading opposition figure and one of Wickremesinghe’s strongest rivals, also paid a visit. “I visited him and spoke to him. He was fine,” Premadasa said.
Prison authorities have permitted Wickremesinghe to have meals prepared at home.
The charges centre on claims that Wickremesinghe misused state funds to travel to the United Kingdom in September 2023 to attend the convocation ceremony of his wife, Professor Maithree. Investigators allege that he extended his journey to the UK at state expense after returning from an official engagement in the United States. His staff had previously been questioned regarding the travel costs.
Wickremesinghe had assumed the presidency in 2022 following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation, completing the remainder of the term until the end of 2024. He was widely credited with guiding Sri Lanka through the severe economic crisis of 2022.
Follow us
