A Sri Lankan court has granted bail to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was arrested last week on allegations of misusing state funds. The 76-year-old joined Tuesday’s hearing via Zoom from a state-run hospital where he is being treated for health concerns.
The case centres on a 2023 trip to Britain, during which Wickremesinghe is accused of spending 55,000 dollars of government money to attend a graduation lunch linked to his wife’s honorary professorship. Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura ordered his release on a five-million-rupee bond, equivalent to about 16,600 dollars.
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Tight security was in place around the court as hundreds of supporters, protesters and opposition politicians gathered in central Colombo. A protester accused the government of targeting political rivals, while Wickremesinghe’s United National Party insisted the case is politically motivated. The ruling party, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has denied the claim.
Wickremesinghe, a lawyer by profession, served as Sri Lanka’s prime minister six times before becoming president in 2022. He lost power in last year’s election, which brought Dissanayake to office.
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