Ranil's Lawyer Slams High Commission & Travel Agency For Fraud In UK Trip

COLOMBO (News1st) – President's Counsel Tilak Marapana, defending former President Ranil Wickremesinghe in a high-profile misuse of public funds case, unleashed explosive accusations on Wednesday (29), blaming the Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK and a travel firm for orchestrating fraud through wildly inflated expenses on a "private" overseas trip.

Marapana told Fort Magistrate’s Court that his client, out on bail and absent due to ill health, bears no responsibility for the Rs 16.6 million spent.

“They say Rs. 16 million was spent. We too have undertaken official travel. We don’t monitor who spends how much, but it must be investigated why such a sum was spent. Vehicles were allegedly provided by the British Government, yet vehicle costs alone are said to be Rs. 3 million. My client did not use those vehicles. The hotel mentioned was a small one, like the Renuka Hotel here. They say Rs. 2 million was spent on food, no person spends Rs. 2 million on food even in a month. This was theft. A company called Skywings organized the tour. Inflated figures were used to siphon money. Together with the mission, this company has committed fraud. This requires a separate investigation.”

Responding to this, Additional Solicitor General Dileep Peiris stated that no individual has the freedom to arbitrarily misuse public funds.

“How can public funds be siphoned in a bankrupt country? No one is entitled to misuse public money at will. This so-called transit is an extraordinary one. There was even a banquet during this ‘transit’. They stayed at a hotel 200 kilometres from London. Rs. 16.2 million was spent in 32 hours. This was a fully pre-planned journey, Your Honour.”

The case, filed against Wickremesinghe and ex-Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake, is based on allegations of diverting public funds for a UK visit in September 2023, tied to wife Maithree Wickremesinghe's honorary professorship at University of Wolverhampton.

The Fort Magistrate’s Court informed the Attorney General to proceed without delay in filing indictments in the High Court against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, citing sufficient evidence in connection with allegations of using public funds amounting to Rs. 16.6 million for a private foreign trip.

During proceedings, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) revealed several new and significant findings arising from its investigations.

The CID also reported to court statements made by Maithree Wickremesinghe, the wife of Ranil Wickremesinghe, as well as responses received via email from the University of Wolverhampton regarding matters relevant to the case.

According to the University of Wolverhampton, Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit was related to attending the conferment of an honorary professorship on Maithree Wickremesinghe on September 22, 2022, and a luncheon held in connection with the event.

The CID informed court that there was no involvement whatsoever by the UK Government in this visit, that a letter dated September 1, 2023 had been received as an invitation, and that there was no revelation to indicate the invitation had been conveyed through the London High Commission via diplomatic channels.

A statement made by Maithree Wickremesinghe further revealed that no diplomatic or official meetings took place during the visit to the United Kingdom on September 22 and 23, 2023.

“Maithree Wickremesinghe received the invitation to attend the graduation ceremony from the University of Wolverhampton on July 15, 2023. While she was considering how to attend the event, her husband, the first suspect,received a travel itinerary to Cuba and the United States. During that trip, she states that she was able to attend the graduation ceremony as a transit stop. This is the first time this July 15 letter has been disclosed. Previously, this letter had never come to light. The issue here is that the graduation date coincides exactly with the dates of the first suspect’s US and Cuba visit. There is suspicion of a conspiratorial transaction between the two sides. Moreover, who prepares an agenda just for a ‘transit’? This was not accidental, it was a carefully planned journey.”

The Additional Solicitor General further told court that the positions taken by Ranil Wickremesinghe and his wife regarding this incident were contradictory.

“Your Honour, there were no diplomatic engagements during these two days. This is now a serious case of misuse of public funds under the Public Property Act. The first suspect claims this was an official visit based on a formal invitation received through the British High Commission. However, his wife states she attended the graduation ceremony as a transit event during her husband’s US and Cuba tour. Her statement was recorded on the 24th. Investigators are still studying that statement. Legally, Maithree Wickremesinghe cannot be made a witness, as she is the wife of the first suspect. A decision on whether she will be named as a suspect has not yet been taken and will be determined after a full study of her statement.”

The case is scheduled to be taken up again on July 8.