Court Adjourns Case Against Ranil Wickremesinghe Over Alleged Misuse of Public Funds 

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has adjourned until September 30 the case filed against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake over allegations of misappropriating public funds.

Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena, who heard the case today (08), ordered that the Attorney General’s position on the legal action to be taken against the two respondents be presented to court at the next hearing.

During the proceedings, Senior State Counsel Samadari Piyasena informed the court that investigations into the matter had been completed and that the relevant files had been forwarded to the Attorney General. She requested a date to communicate the Attorney General’s stance on the case.

Accordingly, the Magistrate directed that the complaint be recalled on September 30, when the Attorney General’s position is expected to be notified to court.

The case was filed over allegations that Wickremesinghe misused government funds to travel to the United Kingdom in 2023 to attend a ceremony held in honour of his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, at a British university while serving as President.

The former President was arrested on August 22, 2025, after appearing before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to provide a statement. He was later produced before court and remanded until August 26, 2025.

Following consideration of medical reports, Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura released him on three surety bails of Rs. 5 million each, and the case was subsequently scheduled for October 29, 2025.

According to the case, the CID arrested Wickremesinghe over allegations that he misused Rs. 16.6 million in public funds during a one-and-a-half-day visit to the United Kingdom, which had been presented as an official visit.

However, lawyers appearing for the former President argued that the visit was made following an invitation from a British university and that there is no clear distinction between official and private visits undertaken by a sitting President. They maintained that no misappropriation of state funds had taken place.