A major legal storm is gathering around former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, as prosecutors prepare to take him and a senior aide before the High Court over an overseas trip that allegedly cost Sri Lanka more than Rs. 16.6 million in public funds.
The Attorney General’s Department has decided to file a High Court case against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake, accusing them of causing a massive financial loss to the state during a private visit to the United Kingdom. The case centers on expenses linked to Wickremesinghe’s attendance at a function held by the University of Wolverhampton.
According to officials, the decision follows investigations carried out under the leadership of former Criminal Investigation Department Director Shani Abeysekara. Based on these findings, authorities are now in the final stages of naming the suspects formally and preparing indictments to be filed before the High Court.
Given the gravity and financial scale of the alleged offence, the Attorney General plans to request the Chief Justice to appoint a three member High Court bench to hear the case. This intention was communicated to the Fort Magistrate’s Court by Additional Solicitor General Dilip Peiris, signaling that the prosecution views the matter as one of exceptional public importance.
Fort Magistrate Isuru Netthikumara has instructed the Attorney General to proceed with filing indictments and to submit a formal progress report to court before April 29. The directive places a clear deadline on the prosecution to move forward with the long anticipated legal action.
Meanwhile, the second suspect, former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake, has been remanded until the 11th of this month. He is also scheduled to appear before the Government Handwriting Inspector as part of a handwriting examination linked to the investigation.
Legal submissions prepared on behalf of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe have already been handed over to the Attorney General’s Department. As the case edges closer to court, it marks a rare and politically significant moment, with a former head of state facing potential criminal proceedings over alleged misuse of public funds.
