Sri Lanka’s former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was granted bail today by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court in a case where he was accused of misusing state funds. Owing to his deteriorating health, Mr. Wickremesinghe did not appear in person but joined the proceedings via Zoom. He was arrested last Friday and remanded until today over allegations of diverting state resources for a private overseas trip during his presidency in 2023. Soon after being taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department, the 76-year-old leader was admitted to the Prison Hospital and later transferred to Colombo National Hospital, where he now remains in intensive care. According to a police B-report filed in court, Mr. Wickremesinghe used public funds to cover expenses for a visit to the United Kingdom in September 2023, where he attended his wife’s PhD graduation ceremony. According to police, the trip carried no official purpose and was added on to his state visits to Cuba and the United States. Authorities allege that approximately 50,000 US dollars in government funds were spent on the London leg of the tour, which included an accompanying delegation.
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