Police say the former leader is accused of misuse of public funds in relation to a trip to London.

Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been arrested and appeared in court over allegations he misused state funds while in office, police say.

Wickremesinghe, 76, who led the country during a devastating 2019-2024 economic crisis, had been investigated over a visit he made to London to attend his wife’s graduation, local media reported on Friday.

Police confirmed his arrest for alleged misuse of public funds.

“Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been arrested and produced in court. We are awaiting the court directive to decide what further steps need to be taken,” a police spokesperson said.

Later on Friday, a court in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, ordered Wickremesinghe to be held in custody until August 26 when a fresh hearing will be held into the allegations.

Sri Lanka’s anticorruption units have led a crackdown since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake came to power in September on a promise to fight corruption.

A Wickremesinghe ally from his United National Party (UNP) proclaimed his innocence and suggested the case was politically motivated.

“Ranil Wickremesinghe has never misused public funds or state funds,” UNP member Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe told reporters outside the court complex in Colombo where the former president appeared.

“He was the person who stepped up and accepted the challenge to save this country when the economy collapsed,” Warnasinghe said. “That is the person who is being treated like this today by this government.”

Travel expenses

Wickremesinghe had stopped in London in 2023 on his way back to Sri Lanka from Havana, where he attended a G77 summit.

His office had previously denied that he abused his position to visit London.

Three of his then-senior aides were questioned this month by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

He and his wife, Maithree, attended a University of Wolverhampton ceremony, where she received an honorary professorship.

Wickremesinghe had maintained that his wife’s travel expenses were met by her and no state funds were used.

However, the CID alleged that Wickremesinghe used government money for his travel on a private visit and his bodyguards were also paid by the state.

Wickremesinghe became president in July 2022 after Gotabaya Rajapaksa stepped down following months of street protests over alleged corruption and mismanagement. Wickremesinghe lost power in a 2024 election.

He secured a $2.9bn bailout from the International Monetary Fund in early 2023 and was credited with stabilising the economy after Sri Lanka’s worst-ever financial meltdown in 2022.

He doubled taxes and removed energy subsidies as part of tough austerity measures to raise state revenues.