A Sri Lankan court has ordered the detention of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for a period of four days. The court has ordered his imprisonment until August 26. This is the first time a former president of Sri Lanka has been arrested.
Wickremesinghe was arrested in connection connection with a case being investigated by Sri Lanka’s main investigative agency, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Sri Lankan newspapers reported that Wickremesinghe was arrested on suspicion of misusing state property and funds.
Reports suggest that the CID is investigating a matter related to a private trip he made to London, the capital of the United Kingdom, during his term as President. This morning, Wickremesinghe appeared at Sri Lanka’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) and gave a statement required for the investigation.
According to the report submitted to the court by the CID, Wickremesinghe went to London to attend his wife’s graduation ceremony. The report also alleges that Wickremesinghe spent 16.9 million Sri Lankan rupees, or approximately 58,176 US dollars, of state funds on this trip.
This trip took place in September 2023. The CID report also notes that 10 other individuals accompanied him on this trip. The report also states that Wickremesinghe went to London in the middle of a trip he was making to Cuba and the United States.
