COLOMBO, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court on Friday night remanded former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who had been arrested earlier in the day by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations of misusing state funds, until Aug. 26, local media reported.

The court took the decision after a representative for the country's Attorney General's Department, appearing for the CID, told the court that evidence against Wickremesinghe will be presented under the Public Property Act and requested that the court remand the suspect as the investigation is not complete.

Wickremesinghe was admitted to the prison hospital following the ruling, local media reported.

Wickremesinghe was produced before the court after he was arrested for charges of misusing state funds to visit London to attend an event organized by a British university, during his tenure as president in September 2023, according to local media.

It is the first time a former executive president has been arrested and remanded in Sri Lanka's history. Wickremesinghe was elected president by parliamentarians in July 2022 following the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as president. He lost the presidential election held in September 2024. ■