The case filed against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe under the Public Property Act is scheduled to be called today at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court, NewsFirst reported.
The complaint alleges the misappropriation of Rs. 16.6 million in public funds spent on a private visit to London, where Wickremesinghe attended the graduation ceremony of his spouse, former First Lady Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, during his presidency.
As part of the ongoing investigation, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) recorded a statement from the former First Lady on April 24 at their private residence at 5th Lane, Colombo 03. The visit was publicly criticised by the United National Party.
The court is expected to review the progress of the investigation during today’s proceedings.
The Public Property Act prosecution is the most formal accountability step taken to date over Wickremesinghe’s expenditure on the London trip, which had drawn opposition criticism during his presidency. The case follows broader political pressure on past presidential spending decisions and adds a new judicial track distinct from the ongoing parliamentary scrutiny of the Treasury Secretary and other accountability inquiries.
Wickremesinghe, who returned to Colombo earlier this month after recovery from surgery in Singapore, has not commented publicly on the case.
