The Attorney General (AG) has instructed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to submit extracts of further investigations carried out by a CID team that travelled to the United Kingdom as part of the probe into the alleged misappropriation of Rs. 16.6 million by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The AG conveyed this instruction in writing to the CID Director through a letter signed by Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Perera. The extracts are requested to facilitate action in accordance with the order issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
Earlier, the AG had informed the court of his intention to request Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) from UK authorities under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act. This request aims to verify whether the invitation letter from the University of Wolverhampton, sent to Mr. Wickremesinghe for his wife’s graduation ceremony, was issued in an official capacity or a personal capacity.
The AG’s letter to the CID Director highlighted that, although the officer in charge of the investigation had been instructed to visit the AG’s Department to assist with compiling documents and drafting a questionnaire necessary for filing the MLA request, he had not done so. The letter also pointed out that the CID team had travelled to London without obtaining an MLA from UK authorities.
The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court is scheduled to hear the case on January 28.
