By DBS Jeyaraj/Daily Mirror
Colombo, August 25 – Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Sri Lankan Police on Friday 22nd August 2025. Subsequently he was produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate and remanded until August 26, 2025. Seventy six-year-old Wickremesinghe, who has also been sworn in as Prime Minister six times in the past, became the first Sri Lankan ex-president to be arrested and remanded in the island’s history.
Wickremesinghe had been earlier summoned on September 19 by the CID to record a statement from him about his visit to the Wolverhampton University in the United Kingdom (UK) in September 2023 when he was serving as head of state. President Wickremesinghe had accompanied his wife Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe for a ceremony at the University where Dr.Wickremesinghe received an honorary Professorship.
Wolverhampton Invitation
The then president Wickremesinghe and First Lady Maithree Wickremesinghe had been formally invited for a celebratory Graduation luncheon at the Wolverhampton campus by the vice chancellor. The invitation was channelled through the Sri Lankan High Commission in London. It was then sent to the Sri Lankan Foreign ministry which forwarded it officially to the Presidential secretariat.
The official letter dated September 1, 2023 stated as follows –
Dear Mr. Wickramasinghe and Prof. Wickramasinghe,
“On behalf of the University of Wolverhampton’s Chancellor, the Rt Hon Lord Swraj Paul of Marylebone, PC, The Board of Governors and the Academic Board, I am delighted to invite you to join the University for a special graduation luncheon on Friday 22nd of September 2023, at our Wolverhampton Campus.
“This luncheon is part of the celebrations of Prof. Wickramasinghe’s Honorary Professorship, and will take place in the build up to the graduation ceremony itself.
“The graduation ceremony will commence at 14:30 in Wolverhampton, and we would be delighted if you are able to join us for the graduation luncheon, commencing at 12:00.
“If you are able to join Lord Paul for this celebratory day, please contact Terry Gibson, Head of Alumni & Development, by emailing T.Gibson@wlv.ac.uk or calling 07976 882 910.
“We hope you can join us for this special luncheon as part of the celebrations.”
Yours sincerely
Professor John Raftery
Vice-Chancellor,
University of Wolverhampton
Charged
Wickremesinghe was questioned for several hours and had his statement recorded about attending this luncheon. He had denied any wrong doing and provided detailed answers to allegations about misusing state funds on an overseas trip. Thereafter Wickremesinghe was arrested on charges of abusing his powers by misusing state funds and taken to the Fort Magistrate’s court where he was charged and remanded until the date of the next hearing on August 26.
Prior to being taken away from the court premises, Wickremesinghe who is the United National Party (UNP) Leader said, “I always worked for the nation. I did not get any personal gain. The real face of the present administration has been uncovered.” UNP Assistant Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told the media, “This was what Ranil Wickremesinghe told us before he was arrested. He told me to record it and release it to the media,”
“After being remanded on the 22nd, doctors examining Wickremesinghe at the Magazine prison, found his blood sugar and blood pressure levels unstable and transferred him to the Welikade Prison Hospital. Permission was also granted for Wickremesinghe to receive home cooked meals on account of his ill-health. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and current opposition leader Sajith Premadasa visited Wickremesinghe at the prison hospital separately on 23rd Morning.
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Speaking to the media after visiting Wickremesinghe at the Welikada Prison, Mahinda Rajapaksa said that Ranil Wickremesinghe was not shaken by the arrest.
“In politics, we sometimes have to face these kinds of situations,” Mahinda Rajapaksa stated. Mahinda was critical of the imprisonment of former President Wickremesinghe and described it as an act of political revenge.
Mahinda said it was unfair to imprison political leaders, especially former Presidents, over minor incidents. “This is not right. It is wrong to imprison former Presidents who have held executive powers. Clearly, this is nothing more than an act of revenge by the present government,” he said. Mahinda Rajapaksa also urged the media to question the government’s actions and reflect public opinion.
Sajith Premadasa
Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa also met the media after visiting Wickremesinghe in hospital. Sajith remarked that a third party has intervened into the enforcement of the rule of law, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said today. Speaking further Sajith Premadasa said “A third party had actually predicted how the judiciary was going to act with regard to the case against the former President. How can such a thing take place when the Constitution is clear about how the rule of law should prevail,”
Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa was referring to the YouTuber Sudantha Thilakasiri, popularly known as “Sudaa” who is regarded as being close to the ruling Janatha Vumukthi Paramuna (JVP) led National People’s Power (NPP) Government’s upper echelons.
According to media reports, Thilakasiri had in a recent social media post, declared that if former President Wickremesinghe appeared before the CID on Friday (22) to give a statement, it would be “mandatory” for authorities to arrest him, produce him before court, and remand him for 14 days. He further claimed that if this did not happen, he would cease producing YouTube programmes.
Ali Sabry
Condemning these remarks, Former Justice Minister and President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, in a Facebook message, described the prediction as “deeply troubling” and indicative of a dangerous political culture.
“Such actions reflect a disturbing trend of vindictive and destructive politics which undermines our institutions and our future. This cycle of hatred and retribution must end. Sri Lanka deserves a politics of reason, stability and gratitude to those who have time and again safeguarded the nation,” Sabry said.
Health Condition
Meanwhile there was a steep rise in the blood pressure and blood sugar levels of Wickremesinghe in the afternoon. Doctors at the Prison hospital recommended urgent specialist attention. Thereafter the former President was transferred to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) and admitted to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) for further medical treatment. According to Hospital sources, Wickremesinghe was later placed in the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) due to dehydration-related complications.
Al-Jazeera TV
An important question that arises is about the basis on which charges have been framed against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Before delving into that area, it is important to re-visit an interesting incident that occurred in the early part of March 2025. Ranil Wickremesinghe was interviewed by British journalist Mehdi Hasan for the “Head to Head” show on Al-Jazeera TV. Ranil Wickremesinghe was virtually pilloried on the programme that appeared to be more of an inquisition than an interview.
One of the questions raised by Hasan was about the infamous Batalanda Commission report. Wickremesinghe messed up things for himself by first denying the existence of such a report. When a copy of the report was produced, a sheepish Wickremesinghe retorted feebly that the report was never tabled in Parliament. In fact, it was!
The TV show created a furore in Sri Lanka. The JVP, under the leadership of Rohana Wijeweera, had launched its second insurrection from the years 1987 to 1990 against the state. The JVP functioning under the label of Deshapremi Janatha Vyaparaya (DJV) unleashed terrible violence. The then UNP government of President Ranasinghe Premadasa had cracked down hard. The revolt was suppressed brutally. Thousands of youths aligned or suspected of being aligned to the JVP were killed or made to disappear. Thousands were incarcerated and tortured.
Batalanda
Among the detention cum torture camps set up by the state, the detention centre at Batalanda acquired tremendous notoriety. This detention centre was located in the housing complex of the state fertilizer corporation at Batalanda, which was in the Biyagama electoral division. Ranil Wickremesinghe had been elected to Parliament from the Biyagama electorate in 1977. Ranil had reportedly played a part in acquiring buildings from the Batalanda housing complex to set up the centre.
Wickremesinghe however had no involvement in what transpired at the detention centre. The Batalanda camp acquired a horrible image as a hellhole of torture and unofficial execution. Wickremesinghe’s political opponents of different hues tried to portray him as being directly involved in the torture. Some even dubbed him as the “Batalanda Butcher”.
When Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga became President in 1994, she set up a number of commissions of inquiry. One of these was on the Batalanda detention centre. There was much speculation then that President Kumaratunga had set up the Batalanda commission of inquiry to “fix” her chief political rival Wickremesinghe. The Commission however could not find any evidence incriminating Wickremesinghe with torture activity at Batalanda.
This however did not deter Wickremesinghe’s political adversaries or critics from raising the Batalanda bogey against him occasionally. So when Batalanda figured in the Al Jazeera TV show and Ranil was seen as trying to bluff his way out, the controversy erupted again. The JVP, whose members and supporters were the alleged victims of Batalanda, was expected to mete out justice to the alleged perpetrators. The JVP breakaway group Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) raised the issue and dared the JVP Govt to take action over Batalanda and by extension Wickremesinghe.
Counter Productive
The JVP led NPP Govt then tried to rake up the Batalanda issue again. There was much pressure on the leadership from the rank and file. There was even hope in some JVP circles that Wickremesinghe could be penalised over Batalanda. A debate was held in Parliament on Batalanda. It soon became apparent that the move to raise the spectre of Batalanda after 35 years was going to be counterproductive. The opposition began to speak about the brutalities of the JVP during the insurgency in Parliament.
Even though the cadres of the JVP were cruelly massacred by the agents of the Sri Lankan state, the JVP hands were not clean either. During the three-year period from 1987 to 1990, 487 public servants, 342 policemen, 209 security personnel, 16 political leaders, and 4,945 civilians of other descriptions were said to have been killed by the JVP. This tally included 30 Buddhist monks, two Catholic priests, 52 school principals, four medical doctors, 18 estate superintendents and 27 trade unionists. It also includes family members of 93 policemen and 69 servicemen.
Clean Hands
The JVP bigwigs realised the wisdom of the adage “seeking justice with clean hands”. When efforts to expose the Batalanda horrors were undertaken, the causes that led to such cruelty would also be focused upon. Memories of the JVP’s past atrocities would be resurrected. The JVP had used the NPP Camouflage to make the people forget negative aspects of the past and look forward to a positive future. Now there was a danger of people remembering the “old” JVP and its violent history.
Class Enemy
And so the plans of reviving the Batalanda bogey and penalising Wickremesinghe were aborted. The hate and resentment towards the great “Class enemy” Ranil Wickremesinghe however continued to exist in the hearts and minds of some crimson comrades. Being ensconced in the seat of power, it was possible for the JVP to explore other avenues to teach lessons to their political opponents if they so desired.
Inquiry
In late June 2025, the CID informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that a special inquiry into an overseas trip by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was underway. The objective was to ascertain whether the trip was funded unlawfully with public money. The CID probe commenced following an official complaint by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake after an internal inquiry at the presidential secretariat.
B-Report
CID officials filed a B-report in court with the details of the progress of the inquiry. The B-report alleged that former president Ranil Wickremesinghe had siphoned off state funds to defray the expenses of a private trip to London in September 2023, covering it up as part of an official tour. It was stated that Wickremesinghe travelled to Britain on September 22–23, 2023, to attend his wife’s PhD graduation ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton.
The B- report alleges that the UK visit was not official. It was incorporated as part of then President Wickremesinghe’s official visit to Cuba and the USA. Ranil Wickremesinghe had gone to Britain only to attend the private event. However he was accompanied by a team of officials and security personnel in Britain also.
CID
The line of inquiry followed by the CID was that the expenditure incurred by the team of officials and security personnel who accompanied Wickremesinghe to Britain had cost Rs. 16.9 million. The amount was for airfare, accommodation, and related expenses. The CID opined that the London leg of Wickremesinghe’s 2023 trip was of a personal nature allegedly funded by Sri Lankan taxpayers. It was alleged that charging the personal visit to official expenditure amounted to an abuse of presidential powers for private benefit and a violation of Sri Lankan laws relating to corruption and misuse of Govt resources.
The CID also questioned former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake and Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private secretary Sandra Perera in early August. Both were directly involved in arrangements for and authorizing the 2023 UK visit. Their statements about expenses incurred by the trip were duly recorded.
Following this, the CID on Sep 19 summoned Wickremesinghe for questioning. On August 22, 2025, the former president arrived at CID headquarters in Colombo to provide a statement regarding the disputed trip. His lawyers had advised him of a possible arrest after the statement was recorded. After several hours of questioning, Wickremesinghe was placed under arrest in the afternoon of August 22nd.
Fort Magistrate’s court
Wickremesinghe was then taken to the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s court and formally charged. Thereafter, President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne, appearing for Ranil Wickremesinghe sought bail for the former President. Premaratne PC in his plea for bail said “the suspect is 76 years old, suffering from heart disease for seven years, as well as diabetes and hypertension. His wife is a cancer patient. They have no children and depend solely on each other”.
Incidentally a large number of politicians from different parties and people from different walks of life converged at the court premises in sympathy, solidarity and support for Wickremesinghe.
Court proceedings regarding Wickremesinghe’s bail application were inordinately delayed due to an unexpected 30 minute recess and another 30 minute power black-out. Ultimately Wickremesinghe was denied bail and remanded until the 26th.
The former President’s health condition worsened after being taken to the Magazine Prison. He was taken to the Welikade Prison Hospital and transferred from there to the Colombo National Hospital and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit there.
Ananda Wijepala
After the news of Wickremesinghe’s arrest became known, National Security Minister Ananda Wijepala claimed that the action taken by the law enforcement authorities was in accordance with keeping the promises the government had given to the people.
“Our government pledged to bring all wrongdoers before justice, regardless of the positions they held,” Minister Wijepala told Parliament.
Immunity Irony
This then is how a former Sri Lankan President was arrested and remanded for the first time in Sri Lanka. When J.R. Jayewardene introduced the Executive Presidency to the country, there was Constitutional immunity for the president over acts of omission and commission during his or her tenure. It was the 19th Constitutional amendment enacted by the govt of President Maithripala Sirisena that curtailed this presidential immunity. It was Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister who was primarily responsible for the 19th amendment to the Constitution. It is indeed ironic that Wickremesinghe is today the first president to be arrested and detained due to the curtailing of presidential immunity.
END
D.B.S. Jeyaraj can be reached at
dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com
