The hearing of the case filed against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe under the Public Property Act has commenced at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
According to our court reporter, proceedings in the case against the former President are currently underway.
Meanwhile, former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake, who has been named as a suspect in the same case by the Attorney General, has also been produced before court.
Police said a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team recently visited Ekanayake’s residence to arrest him, but he was not present at the time, and his mobile phone was switched off.
The case relates to allegations that state funds were misused during Wickremesinghe’s tenure as President for a trip to London to attend the graduation ceremony of his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe.
On August 22, 2025, the former President appeared before the CID to provide a statement and was subsequently arrested. He was later produced before court and remanded until August 26.
After considering medical reports submitted on his behalf, Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura ordered his release on three personal bails of Rs. 5 million each and fixed the case for October 29, 2025.
When the case was taken up on that date, the Magistrate directed investigating officers to expedite the investigation and to report on its progress to court today, January 28, 2026.
