Colombo, August 26 — Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, arrested on charges of misusing state funds, has been released on bail, a Colombo court ruled on Tuesday.
The 76-year-old appeared at the hearing via video conference from a government hospital, where he had been admitted on doctors’ advice after his arrest, according to his party, the United National Party (UNP).
Large crowds of supporters and opposition politicians gathered outside the court, prompting police to erect barricades. UNP Deputy General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam welcomed the ruling, calling it “proof of the independence of our judiciary,” while adding that “anti-corruption measures must be carried out through a democratic process.”
The UNP has dismissed the case as politically motivated, an allegation rejected by the ruling party of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Wickremesinghe, a lawyer by profession, has served as prime minister six times—a record in Sri Lanka. He became president in 2022 during the country’s worst economic crisis but lost power in the 2024 presidential election. The case stems from a 2023 trip to the United Kingdom, where he accompanied his wife to a university event. Authorities allege he used public funds improperly during the visit.
