Ranil Wickremesinghe
Ex-Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe admitted to hospital a day after he was jailed
Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been admitted to a hospital, a day after he was charged with misusing government funds for foreign travel.
The former President is undergoing treatment in the National Hospital.
Colombo National Hospital Deputy Director Dr. Rukshan Bellana told Daily Mirror that Ranil Wickremesinghe was transferred from the prison hospital after developing dehydration, accompanied by changes in his blood levels and other clinical signs.
“I have just seen the former President. He is suffering from dehydration and there are some changes in his blood and other signs,” Bellana said.
“We need to keep him on strict rest for at least three days and continue treatment. If that is not done, heart problems, kidney problems and other complications may arise," Bellana said.
He said the President is expected to recover in two to three days.
Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Friday arrested former President Ranil Wickremesinghe over alleged misuse of state funds.
The probe concerns his September 2023 visit to London to attend a University of Wolverhampton graduation ceremony for his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, during which investigators claim government money was used for travel and security expenses, reported Daily Mirror Online.
The President, however, denied the charges levelled against him.
He has argued that his wife bore her own costs and no public funds were misused.
The former President will be produced before the court on Friday.
Ranil Wickremesinghe served as the President from 2022 to 2024, the period when the Island Nation battled one of the worst economic crises.
He took up the role after his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa escaped from Sri Lanka amid severe protests.
He is often widely regarded as a person who helped the country fight back during the economic crisis period.
In his political career, he had served six separate terms as prime minister.
He is now the first ex-Sri Lankan President to be arrested.
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