Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe appears before court

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has arrived at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court a short while ago, in connection with a scheduled court proceeding, Ada Derana reporter said.

The case filed against former President Wickremesinghe under the Public Property Act is scheduled to be taken up for consideration again today at the Fort Magistrate’s Court.

The case was filed on allegations that the former President misused government funds to travel to the United Kingdom in 2023 to attend a ceremony honouring his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, at a British university, while serving as Head of State.

Former President Wickremesinghe was arrested on August 22, 2025, after appearing before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to record a statement. He was subsequently produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court and remanded until August 26, 2025.

When the case was recalled on August 26, 2025, after reviewing the medical reports submitted on behalf of the former President, Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura ordered his release on three surety bails of Rs. 5 million each.

Colombo Fort Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara also ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to expedite the investigation related to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and to produce before court any suspects connected to the matter, if such individuals exist.

Colombo Fort Magistrate Neththikumara had also ordered that investigations into the case filed against former President Wickremesinghe be completed by today.

When the case was called, the complainant party requested that the former President’s bail be revoked. However, Magistrate Neththikumara stated that he did not intend to review the bail order previously issued by the former magistrate.

According to the case, the Criminal Investigation Department arrested the former President on August 22, 2025 over allegations that he misused Rs. 16.6 million in public funds during a one-and-a-half-day visit to the United Kingdom, which was presented as an official trip.

However, the lawyers representing former President Wickremesinghe had submitted that the visit was made following an invitation from a British university, and that there is no clear separation between official and private visits made by a sitting President. Therefore, they argued, no misappropriation of state funds had occurred.

Meanwhile, the case was postponed until April 29.