Ex-President Ranil joins court hearing via Zoom, full medical report submitted by attorneys

The hearing of the case filed against Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe is currently underway at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.

The former President, who is at the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital at present has joined the hearing virtually via Zoom, Ada Derana reporter said.

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was not produced in court for the hearing taking place before Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura.

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. 

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 — who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on August 22 under the Public Property Act over alleged misuse of state funds — was taken up without his presence at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.

Following his arrest on Friday, 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.