Sri Lanka’s ex-president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, was booked on Friday. He allegedly ‘misused government funds’, as per a report by a senior police detective to AFP.
Wickremesinghe was arrested after being investigated about his September 2023 visit to London, when he attended a ceremony with his wife at a British university while he was the head of state, the officer confirmed.
Local media reported that Wickremesinghe presented before the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on Friday to record a statement. An official reported AFP, “We are producing him before the Colombo Fort magistrate.” He added that the charges filed against him are for using the state’s resources for personal gain.
What is the Case Here?
The case began when Wickremesinghe stopped in London in September 2023 on his way back from Havana, where he had attended the G77 summit. Wickremesinghe attended a ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton with his wife, Maithree.
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The Criminal Investigation Department claimed that the ex president utilized the government’s resources to fund his private visit, including his travel and bodyguards. Wickremesinghe has denied the allegations and cliamed that his wife covered her own expenses and did not use the state’s money.
Political Background
Wickremesinghe took over the presidency in July 2022 after Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned amid mass protests of corruption ad economic mismanagement. He is credited with resolving Sri Lanka’s financial crisis after the country faced its most severe economic stress in 2022.
However, he lost a re-election bid to left-wing candidate AK Disannayake in a tough contest that went into a second round.
