Overview

• Wickremesinghe, 76, was taken into custody in Colombo after arriving to give a statement on the London stopover tied to the University of Wolverhampton event.
• Police say he will be produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate as they press charges for using state resources for personal purposes.
• Investigators allege state funds covered his travel and security for the visit, while he denies misuse and says his wife's expenses were self‑funded.
• The CID has already recorded statements from former presidential secretary Saman Ekanayake and ex‑private secretary Sandra Perera in connection with the trip.
• The arrest comes during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s anti‑corruption campaign, with Wickremesinghe a key opposition figure after losing the 2024 election.