Sri Lanka's anticorruption units have led a crackdown since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake came to power in September on a promise to fight corruption. A Wickremesinghe ally from his United National Party (UNP) proclaimed his innocence and suggested the case was politically motivated. Ranil Wickremesinghe has never misused public funds or state funds, UNP member Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe told reporters outside the court complex in Colombo where the former president appeared.