Overview

• Wickremesinghe was detained on August 22 over allegations he used public funds for a 2023 London stopover tied to his wife’s ceremony.
• A magistrate released him on a 5 million rupee bond, and he and his party deny wrongdoing and call the charges politically motivated.
• The Dissanayake government rejects claims of political revenge, casting the case as part of a wider anti-corruption campaign involving other former officials.
• The detention is the first for a former head of state since the executive presidency was created in 1978, a step observers say could break elite impunity if applied evenly.
• Economists and rights advocates warn that high-profile cases must not sideline IMF-required tax, state-enterprise and fiscal reforms seen as essential for recovery.