Tue Aug 26 13:57:29 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

**Former Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe Granted Bail Amid Protests, Corruption Allegations**

**Colombo, Sri Lanka** – Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was granted bail on Tuesday after a tense court hearing regarding allegations of misusing state funds during his tenure. The 76-year-old politician, appearing via Zoom from a hospital due to health concerns, was released on a 5 million rupee ($16,600) bond.

The case centers on a 2023 trip to Britain where Wickremesinghe allegedly used $55,000 in government funds to attend a graduation lunch related to his wife’s honorary professorship. Wickremesinghe maintains his wife personally covered her travel expenses.

The court hearing, presided over by Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura, was held under tight security as hundreds of supporters, protesters, and opposition figures gathered outside the courthouse in central Colombo.

The arrest and subsequent hearing have sparked controversy. Supporters of Wickremesinghe, including Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, deputy leader of his United National Party (UNP), view the protests as a testament to judicial independence. The UNP claims the charges are politically motivated. One protester, Samarasiri Kuruwitaarachchi, 69, told The Associated Press news agency that the government has failed to deliver on the promises it made before last year’s presidential election and is now “trying to hunt down the political opponents”.

The ruling party, led by current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, denies these accusations and insists that the case is part of a broader anti-corruption campaign aimed at stamping out endemic corruption. President Dissanayake has made fighting corruption a central plank of his administration as the nation recovers from a severe economic crisis in 2022.

Wickremesinghe, a lawyer by profession, has served as Prime Minister a record six times and as President in 2022 before losing the office in last year’s election.

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