Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was arrested yesterday over allegations of misusing state funds, has been transferred to the Colombo National Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following medical advice, officials confirmed today.
According to the Prisons Department spokesperson, Ranil was initially moved from the prison hospital to the Colombo National Hospital after doctors recommended advanced treatment. The Deputy Director of the hospital, Dr. Rukshan Bellana, later confirmed to local media that doctors advised shifting the former president from the Emergency Treatment Unit to the ICU due to health concerns.
Ranil was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) earlier this week and subsequently remanded by the Colombo Fort Magistrate until August 26. The charges stem from allegations that he misused approximately Rs. 16.9 million in public funds during a foreign trip in September 2023, when he diverted from official engagements in the United States and Cuba to attend his wife’s graduation in London. Reports also allege that ten individuals accompanied him, raising further questions about the use of state resources.
The high-profile arrest has triggered intense political debate in Colombo, with legal experts noting that it could set a precedent for holding senior leaders accountable for separating personal and official expenses. Ranil’s sudden hospitalization and transfer to intensive care now add a fresh layer of uncertainty to the case, raising questions about how his health condition may affect the ongoing legal process.
