Ranil's Legal Team Points Finger at Saroja in London Tour Expense Controversy
The legal battle surrounding former President Ranil Wickremesinghe's 2023 trip to London has intensified, with his defense team reportedly attempting to shift financial responsibility for vehicle expenses onto Saroja Sirisena, the former Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. The development comes as Wickremesinghe faces serious charges under the Public Property Act and the penal code for "dishonest misappropriation of property" and "criminal breach of trust."
The Allegations
The controversy centers on a September 2023 visit to London, which Wickremesinghe made while serving as president. According to investigators, the trip was primarily private in nature—attending a ceremony where his wife, Maithree Wickremesinghe, was conferred an honorary professorship by the University of Wolverhampton. The former president had been returning from Havana, where he attended a G77 summit, and stopped in London for the event.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has alleged that Wickremesinghe improperly used government funds for travel expenses during this private visit. The total expenditure is reported to be approximately Rs. 16.6 million, with specific expenses including Rs. 4,475,160 for vehicles, nearly Rs. 1.4 million as vehicle deposits, over Rs. 1.3 million for food and beverages, nearly Rs. 3.4 million for hotel accommodation, and £6,000 for reserving a VIP lounge at the airport.
The Defense Strategy: Free Transport vs. Billed Amounts
In a significant legal maneuver, Wickremesinghe's defense team has raised a compelling question: if the British government provided transport free of charge, why does the expense sheet show such substantial vehicle costs?
President's Counsel Anuja Premaratne informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court that investigators had claimed nearly half of the total expenditure had been incurred on vehicles. However, the defense maintains that the vehicles used during the visit were provided by the British Government at no cost to the Sri Lankan state.
The defense has further stated that they would hand over, in open court, a document detailing the arrangements made by the British Government in relation to the provision of those vehicles and requested an investigation into the matter.
This argument has also been echoed by the United National Party (UNP), which issued a statement questioning the allegations of lavish spending on transport: "It is unclear about the allegation made by the CID that lavish spending is involved in providing transport facilities to Mr Wickremesinghe and the team by the Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK, in the event that the British government has provided him with such facilities."
The Discrepancy
The gap between the defense's claim of free transport and the documented vehicle expenses has raised serious questions. According to available records, the Sri Lanka High Commission in the UK requested approximately £35,000 to cover costs associated with the visit. However, documentation reportedly accounts for expenditure of only about £18,000, leaving a discrepancy of approximately £17,000 that has yet to be clearly explained.
Further scrutiny of the figures reveals significant concerns: nearly £10,000 was reportedly spent on hiring two vehicles, despite the fact that the daily hire cost of a high-end vehicle in the UK is estimated to be around £250. Additionally, approximately £5,000 was reportedly paid for access to a VIP lounge, while hotel accommodation costs are said to have amounted to about £3,000 for one night.
The UNP has also questioned the allegation of spending Rs. 16 million for the trip, noting that "it is the norm that the government bears expenses of his personal secretary, security officers, and for his personal physician."
The Fraud Allegation
The defense has gone further, accusing the Sri Lankan High Commission and a travel company of collusion in inflating expenses. President's Counsel Tilak Marapana told the court: "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."
Marapana specifically identified a company called Skywings as having organized the tour and alleged that "inflated figures were used to siphon money. Together with the mission, this company has committed fraud. This requires a separate investigation."
Prosecution's Response
Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris responded to the defense's arguments, stating 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 prosecution maintains that the trip was private in nature and that the expenses cannot be justified, particularly given that the country was facing a severe economic crisis at the time.
Accountability Questions
The controversy has raised fundamental questions about financial accountability. As one commentator noted: "The issue at hand with the former President's UK Travel Expenditure is not about personalities or political loyalty; it is about public accountability, financial propriety, and the dignity of the Sri Lankan state. When public funds are expended in the name of the Head of State, there must be absolute clarity, documentation, and responsibility—especially by those entrusted as custodians of public money."
The same source highlighted that accommodation costs reportedly amounted to approximately GBP 200 in Wolverhampton, GBP 2,000 at the Park Lane Hilton, and a VIP lounge expense of around GBP 2,500—bringing total identifiable expenses to under GBP 5,000. This raises the question: "What happened to the remaining balance of approximately GBP 30,000, or nearly LKR 13 million?"
Legal and Political Implications
The case has become a significant test of Sri Lanka's anti-corruption efforts under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's administration. Wickremesinghe, who was arrested in August 2025 and remanded in custody, faces charges that carry a maximum punishment of 20 years imprisonment and fines up to three times the value of misappropriated funds.
The court has now set September 30, 2026, for the next hearing, with the Attorney General expected to inform the court of their position on the matter. The defense's documentary evidence regarding British government vehicle arrangements will likely be a key focus of the proceedings.
As the case unfolds, the central question remains: if transport was indeed provided free by the British government, why were substantial vehicle expenses recorded and paid from Sri Lankan public funds? The answer to this question may ultimately determine the legal and political consequences for all parties involved.