Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was arrested and remanded on Friday (22), has been granted bail,Buzzer News reporter said.
The order was issued by Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been released on three surety bails amounting to Rs. 5 million each.
The hearing of the case filed against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe commenced at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court, at around 1:40 p.m.
The former President, who is at the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital at present joined the hearing virtually via Zoom.
During the hearing, a detailed medical report of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was produced by his attorneys.
According to the submissions made by President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratna, three of the four coronary arteries of the former President have been blocked.
He also submitted that the former President is suffering from multiple health complications and therefore requested the Magistrate to consider it as a special case and released former President Wickremesinghe on bail.
Earlier today, Prisons media spokesperson Jagath Weerasinghe said the former President is unlikely to be produced before court today, due to medical recommendations stating that he must continue to remain under observation in the ICU.
He further stated that if the Magistrate issues an order for Wickremesinghe to be presented via Zoom for legal proceedings, necessary arrangements can be made accordingly.
Accordingly, the case against the former President was taken up without his presence at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
Following his arrest on Friday (22), court ordered that former President Wickremesinghe be remanded until today. However, considering his health condition, he was first admitted to the Prison Hospital, and later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital based on medical advice.
Former President Wickremesinghe, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department at around 1:10 p.m. on Friday for allegedly misusing state funds was produced before Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura at around 3:00 p.m.
The case, filed under the under provisions of the Penal Code and the Public Property Act, was adjourned after initial submissions, and subsequently the commencement of court proceedings delayed due to a blackout at the Fort Magistrate Court premises.
After the resumption, considering the submissions made by the Attorney General’s Department and the defence attorneys, Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura ordered that the former President be remanded until August 26, a first in the history of Sri Lanka.
