Sri Lanka’s former president Ranil Wickremesinghe has been arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of public funds during his tenure.
The 76-year-old leader, who served as president from 2022 to 2024, was taken into custody after providing a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) earlier in the day. He is scheduled to appear before a magistrates court in Colombo later on Friday.
Authorities allege that Wickremesinghe misused state resources to fund a private stopover in the United Kingdom in 2023. The incident reportedly occurred on his return from the G77 summit in Cuba, during which he and his wife attended a University of Wolverhampton ceremony. According to investigators, government funds were used to cover the expenses of what they describe as a personal visit—an allegation Wickremesinghe firmly denies.
During his presidency, Wickremesinghe made 23 foreign trips at a total cost of over Rs 600 million ($2 million; £1.4 million), local media reported. The expenses have become a subject of scrutiny, particularly in the wake of the island nation’s economic collapse in 2022.
Wickremesinghe assumed the presidency in July 2022, following the dramatic ousting of Gotabaya Rajapaksa after mass protests over Sri Lanka’s worst-ever economic crisis. Widely credited with stabilizing the economy and securing crucial international support, Wickremesinghe nevertheless faced criticism for austerity measures and his close alignment with the political establishment.
The CID’s probe into his overseas travel marks a significant turn in Sri Lanka’s political landscape, as questions over accountability and the use of public resources continue to dominate national discourse.
