SL: Former President Wickremesinghe transferred to ICU due to ill-health, ahead of hearing

Colombo [Sri Lanka], August 25 (ANI): Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will not be able to appear in court on Tuesday due to ill-health, Daily Mirror Sri Lanka reported, citing hospital sources.

As per Daily Mirror, Wickremesinghe was scheduled to be brought before the Colombo Fort Magistrate on August 26. 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.

"While the symptoms are not very serious at present, if complications develop, his condition could become critical," the official said, as cited by Daily Mirror. "With proper treatment, he may recover, but he requires rest and medication for the next three days."

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

Wickremesinghe was remanded until August 26 by Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura.

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 was arrested on Friday 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.

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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