{"id":17177,"date":"2026-01-30T13:31:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T13:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/?p=17177"},"modified":"2026-01-30T13:58:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T13:58:28","slug":"prez-ranil-not-seated-in-the-front-row-during-the-wolverhampton-uni-graduation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/prez-ranil-not-seated-in-the-front-row-during-the-wolverhampton-uni-graduation\/","title":{"rendered":"Was Ranil Wickremesinghe seated in a front row seat during the graduation ceremony of the University of Wolverhampton?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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As the hearing of the case filed against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe resumed, various discussions have begun circulating on social media. Against this backdrop, we examined a series of social media posts claiming that President Ranil Wickremesinghe was seated in the front row during a graduation ceremony held in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social Media Posts:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A photograph of Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe receiving her degree was shared on social media, along with a statement from Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These posts claimed that, despite Dileepa Peiris stating that the former president was seated in the balcony during his wife’s graduation ceremony, he was actually seated in the front row.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Below can be seen a few more posts with the same intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We then decided to verify the accuracy of the claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact Check:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The case against Ranil Wickremasinghe over the misuse of more than 16 million rupees of public funds for attending his wife\u2019s graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom resumed recently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We decided to begin the fact-checking with the statement of Additional Solicitor General Dileep Pieris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional Solicitor General Dileep Peiris<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We examined the coverage of this case in the \u2018Hiru\u2019 news on January 28th<\/sup>. During the report, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris says that, as per a statement obtained from the UK Embassy, Ranil Wickremesinghe had been seated in a balcony seat and had not been invited to the stage, as seen below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n