Sri Lanka Ex-President Ranil Wickremesinghe Granted Bail on Misuse of State Funds Charges

Sri Lanka's former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was granted bail after being arrested on allegations of misusing government funds during a 2023 trip to Britain. The case centers on accusations that he spent $55,000 of state money on a graduation lunch linked to his wife's honorary professorship, which Wickremesinghe denies, stating his wife personally covered the expenses. Despite losing the presidency in last year's election to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Wickremesinghe remains politically active and his party argues the prosecution is politically motivated. Wickremesinghe joined the bail hearing via Zoom from the National Hospital of Colombo due to health issues, including dehydration, following his transfer from prison. The bail was set at 5 million rupees ($16,600) with his next court hearing scheduled for October 29. The incident has sparked demonstrations outside the court and criticism from opposition politicians, while Dissanayake's government maintains its commitment to fighting corruption.