Former Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe granted bail over alleged misuse of state funds

Colombo [Sri Lanka], August 26 (ANI): Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday was granted bail after being named a suspect in an ongoing investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds for a private overseas trip involving ten individuals, Daily Mirror Online reported.

According to the Sri Lankan-based newspaper, Daily Mirror, Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura released him on three sureties of LKR 5 million each, with the next court hearing scheduled for October 29.

He was arrested on the alleged charges of misuse of government funds amounting to LKR 16.6 million.

Earlier on Friday, Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested on allegations of state funds' misuse, as reported by Newswire Lanka.

As per Newswire, his arrest is linked to allegations of using state funds to cover the expenses for a private visit to London, where he had attended a university graduation ceremony.

It was further reported that the investigators claim the trip, which formed part of a wider overseas tour, was not an official engagement but was financed with government money.

Following his remand, he was initially placed in the prison hospital due to reported health issues but was later transferred to the National Hospital after further medical evaluation.

Earlier on Monday, the Daily Mirror reported that the former Sri Lankan President would not be able to appear in court on Tuesday due to ill health.

It stated that Wickremesinghe was scheduled to be brought before the Colombo Fort Magistrate on Tuesday.

However, hospital officials said that his prevailing health conditions would prevent him from appearing in court on Tuesday.

Referring to a senior official of the Colombo National Hospital (CNH), Daily Mirror reported that the former Sri Lankan President has been advised to take medication and rest for the next three days. He was reported to be dehydrated on the previous day, which had caused an increased heart rate. Medical tests also revealed elevated kidney parameters, along with symptoms such as headache.

As a precautionary measure, doctors have decided to transfer him to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Daily Mirror said.

According to the Daily Mirror, Wickremesinghe was initially admitted to the prison hospital on Sunday, following his remand, but was later transferred to Colombo National Hospital after medical assessments indicated the need for specialist treatment unavailable at the prison facility.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, a six-time prime minister, assumed office as Sri Lanka's interim president in July 2022 following Gotabaya Rajapaksa's removal. He lost the Presidential Elections to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of National People's Power, in September 2024. (ANI)

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