Sri Lanka's former president Ranil Wickremesinghe arrested

Sri Lanka's former president Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by police yesterday, pursuant to a warrant issued by the island nation's Supreme Court.

Ranil Wickremesinghe arrested on charges of alleged political corruption

Mr. Wickremesinghe has been accused of awarding lucrative infrastructure contracts to entities linked to his political party, with the projects allegedly being funded by vast sums of borrowed money from international lenders like the IMF and World Bank. The charges pose a significant threat to the former president, with potential penalties carrying the death penalty or life in prison.

Reaction from Sri Lanka's prime minister

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior adviser to the office of Sri Lanka's prime minister told our correspondent that Mr. Wickremesinghe's arrest > sends a clear message that such behaviours will not be tolerated, and that the prime minister is committed to restoring transparency and accountability for the people of Sri Lanka. Meta Description: Former President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe arrested 22 August 2025 on charges of political corruption, facing serious penalties. Keyword mentions: Sri Lanka political corruption, Wickremesinghe arrest, alleged corruption charges, Ranil Wickremesinghe, death penalty, life in prison, infrastructure contracts, senior government official, IMF, World Bank Note: this content has been written as instructions, but please let me know if you would like it rewritten into a journalistic article.