Sri Lanka’s former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested Friday by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations of misusing state funds during a 2023 trip to London, where he attended his wife’s graduation ceremony. The 76 year old political veteran, who served as president from 2022 to 2024, was taken into custody after arriving at the CID office in Colombo to record a statement. He is the first former head of state in Sri Lanka’s history to face arrest.
The arrest centers on Wickremesinghe’s September 2023 stopover in London, where he and his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, attended a University of Wolverhampton ceremony after a G77 summit in Cuba. The CID alleges that state funds were improperly used to finance this private visit, including travel expenses and security details. Wickremesinghe denies the claims, insisting his wife covered her own costs and that no public money was misused. The court has remanded him until August 26 for further hearings.
Wickremesinghe’s allies have denounced the arrest as politically motivated. Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe, a member of his United National Party (UNP), stated, "Ranil Wickremesinghe has never misused public funds. He stepped up to save this country during its economic collapse". The ruling government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has intensified anti-corruption efforts since taking power in 2024, positioning this case as a test of its commitment to accountability.
Wickremesinghe became president in July 2022 amid Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis, which triggered mass protests and forced his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to resign. He implemented stringent austerity measures, secured a $2.9 billion IMF bailout, and stabilized the economy but faced voter backlash for policies that increased living costs. His third-place finish in the 2024 presidential election reflected public discontent. A seasoned politician, Wickremesinghe served six terms as prime minister and was the country’s youngest cabinet minister at 29 under his uncle, President Junius Jayewardene.
The case challenges Sri Lanka’s long-standing culture of impunity for high-ranking officials. Legal experts note that Article 35 of the constitution, which grants presidents immunity while in office, does not protect them after leaving power. This arrest could set a precedent for holding leaders accountable for alleged corruption. International observers, including the IMF and EU, are closely watching the proceedings, as Wickremesinghe was once regarded as a key partner for economic reforms.