Sri Lanka's Former President Wickremesinghe Arrested for Misuse of State Funds

Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka's former president, was arrested on allegations of misusing state funds during his presidency, police reported on Friday. The arrest occurred at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters, where Wickremesinghe was asked to provide a statement concerning the investigation into alleged government fund misuse.

After his arrest, the veteran opposition figure was presented before a magistrates' court in Colombo. Accusations against Wickremesinghe include claims of using state funds for personal travel to England in September 2023 to attend a private event during an official trip from the US.

Notably, Wickremesinghe's arrest marks the first time a former president has been detained in Sri Lanka. Throughout a political career spanning five decades, he has served six terms as prime minister and helped navigate Sri Lanka through the economic crisis of 2022.

(With inputs from agencies.)