Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was arrested and remanded on Friday over allegations of misusing state funds during his tenure, has been admitted to the Prisons Hospital on medical advice, according to the Prisons Spokesman.
Wickremesinghe, 76, became the most senior opposition figure to be detained in the government’s ongoing anti-corruption drive after the Fort Magistrate’s Court ordered his remand until August 26.
“The suspect (Wickremesinghe) will be held in custody till Tuesday, but considering his medical condition he could be admitted to the prison hospital or another hospital,” Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura stated.
Wickremesinghe’s lawyers argued that he suffers from heart disease and diabetes. He faces charges under the Public Property Act and two sections of the Penal Code — “dishonest misappropriation of property” and “criminal breach of trust.”
The arrest follows an inquiry into his September 2023 visit to London, which coincided with his return from the G77 Summit in Havana and the UN General Assembly in New York. The brief London stopover was to attend a ceremony where his wife, Maithree, was conferred an honorary professorship by the University of Wolverhampton.
His office has consistently denied any misuse of state resources, maintaining that his wife funded her own travel. However, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) alleged that Wickremesinghe spent 16.6 million rupees of public money on what it described as a private visit, accompanied by a delegation of 10, including bodyguards.
Following the court order, Wickremesinghe was taken to Welikada Prison under heavy security before being transferred to the Prisons Hospital.
