Former Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake to be produced in court today
February 18, 2026 06:47 am
Former Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake is scheduled to be produced in court once again today (18).
When the case related to the misuse of public funds involving former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was taken up for hearing at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on February 11, Saman Ekanayake was further remanded until today.
The case was filed in relation to a complaint filed against former President 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 was arrested and remanded on suspicion of aiding and abetting the offence by approving public funds for former President Ranil Wickremesinghe to undertake the said private visit to the UK.
Accordingly, when the case was taken up on February 11 before Colombo Fort Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara, Saman Ekanayake was further remanded, after considering submissions made by Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, appearing on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, who represented the defendant.
