• Former President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake was further remanded until 18 February by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday (11).

The case stems from a complaint filed against former President, attorney Ranil Wickremesinghe, alleging the misappropriation of more than Rs. 16.2 million in public funds. It is alleged that the funds were used to finance a private foreign visit to attend his wife’s graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2023. Ekanayake has been arrested and remanded in custody on suspicion of aiding and abetting in the offence by approving over Rs. 1.62 billion for Wickremesinghe to undertake the said private visit to the UK.

Accordingly, when the case was taken up yesterday before the Colombo Fort Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama, the Court ordered that Ekanayake be further remanded until 18 February, after considering the submissions made by Additional Solicitor General, President’s Counsel (PC) Dileepa Peiris, appearing on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department, and Kalinga Indatissa PC, who represented the defendant.