The Office of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued a statement on Tuesday denying allegations that he and his spouse, Prof. Maithree Wickramasinghe, used state funds for a private visit to London in 2023.
The statement refuted claims that a substantial amount of government money was spent on the visit, arguing that such assertions misrepresent the nature of diplomatic trips and indicate a lack of understanding by the current administration.
According to the statement, Wickremesinghe traveled to London three times in 2023. His first visit was on May 9 to attend the coronation of King Charles III. The second trip was for the 40th anniversary session of the International Democratic Union (IDU), while en route to the Paris Summit.
His third visit occurred after attending the G77 Summit in Havana and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. During this period, Prof. Maithree Wickramasinghe was conferred the title of Professor by the University of Wolverhampton in the UK. Wickremesinghe attended the ceremony as an invited guest while returning from his official engagements, the statement clarified.
The former President’s Office concluded that no private visits were undertaken at state expense in 2023 and dismissed all allegations as false.
