Ranil Wickremesinghe
Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe arrested over alleged fund misuse
Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Friday arrested former President Ranil Wickremesinghe over alleged misuse of state funds.
The probe concerns his September 2023 visit to London to attend a University of Wolverhampton graduation ceremony for his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, during which investigators claim government money was used for travel and security expenses, reported Daily Mirror Online.
The President, however, denied the charges levelled against him.
He has argued that his wife bore her own costs and no public funds were misused.
The former President will be produced before the court on Friday.
Ranil Wickremesinghe served as the President from 2022 to 2024, the period when the Island Nation battled one of the worst economic crises.
He took up the role after his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa escaped from Sri Lanka amid severe protests.
He is often widely regarded as a person who helped the country fight back during the economic crisis period.
In his political career, he had served six separate terms as prime minister.
He is now the first ex-Sri Lankan President to be arrested.
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