The United National Party has condemned what it described as a sudden visit by the Criminal Investigation Department to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Colombo residence to record a statement from his wife, Prof. Maithree Wickremesinghe.
UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena said the party was “saddened” by the move, noting that Wickremesinghe is recovering from heart surgery and that visitors and political engagements had been deliberately restricted to protect his health. Prof. Maithree has also been unwell for a prolonged period, Abeywardena added.
He questioned whether it was appropriate for CID officers to arrive without notice and alleged the visit may have been timed to divert attention from accusations levelled against the government. The UNP said it did not approve of obtaining a statement in such a manner and strongly condemned the action.
CID officers visited the residence and recorded a statement from Prof. Maithree reportedly in connection with an inquiry into allegations that public funds totalling around Rs. 16.9 million were misused during Wickremesinghe’s tenure as President to facilitate her travel to London for a university degree ceremony.
The party’s intervention marks the first formal political response from the UNP to the investigation, which represents the first documented case of the CID taking a statement at the household of a former Sri Lankan president in the current accountability cycle. Abeywardena’s remarks frame the visit as politically motivated, a characterisation the government has not yet addressed publicly.
