Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe Granted Bail

Colombo, August 26, 2025: A Sri Lankan court granted bail to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday, four days after his arrest on allegations of misusing state funds. The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura, ordered his release on three sureties of 5 million rupees (approximately $16,600) each.

Wickremesinghe, 76, was arrested on Friday by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo for allegedly using public funds for a personal trip to the United Kingdom in September 2023. Authorities claim he spent around $55,000 in state funds to attend his wife’s graduation ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton while returning from official visits to Havana for the G77 Summit and New York for the UN General Assembly.

The bail hearing, conducted under tight security, saw hundreds of Wickremesinghe’s supporters gather outside the court, demanding his release. Police deployed riot control units to disperse the crowd and prevent unrest. Due to health issues, including severe dehydration, high blood pressure, and diabetes, Wickremesinghe participated in the hearing via video link from the intensive care unit of Colombo National Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment since his arrest. Hospital authorities confirmed his condition is now stable. The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 29, 2025. Wickremesinghe, who lost the presidential election in September 2024 to leftist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, remains politically active despite not holding elected office. His United National Party (UNP) claims the arrest is politically motivated, fearing his potential return to power. Wickremesinghe has consistently denied the allegations, asserting that he personally funded the UK trip. Since Dissanayake’s government came to power, promising to combat corruption, investigations into graft have intensified. Wickremesinghe, who became president in July 2022 after Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation amid an economic crisis, is credited with stabilizing the economy through a $2.9 billion IMF bailout and austerity measures. However, these policies were unpopular, contributing to his electoral defeat.

On Sunday, three former Sri Lankan presidents condemned Wickremesinghe’s detention as a “deliberate attack on democracy.” The new government has also sentenced two former ministers to up to 25 years in prison for corruption and brought charges against several members of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s family, many of whom are out on bail