Former Health Minister Keheliya granted bail

Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and two other suspects, implicated in the alleged importation of substandard human immunoglobulin vials, have been released on bail by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court.

The 7th accused in the case former Deputy Director of the Health Ministry Rathnakumara Herath and the 12th accused, former CEO of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Dr. Vijith Gunasekera were also released on bail today. 

Rambukwella has been ordered released on two personal bails of Rs. 5 million each and a cash bond of Rs. 100,000. The court ordered that one of the bail signatories for the personal bail must be a close relative of the defendant. 

Meanwhile, the Maligakanda Magistrate Lochani Abeywickramahas also imposed a foreign travel ban on the former minister, who has been ordered to hand over his passport.

Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, who appeared on behalf of the Attorney General, had requested the court to arrange for the accused to be sent to the Colombo National Hospital or the National Institute of Mental Health under judicial supervision to obtain mental treatment and cardiac treatment related to his illness if the remanded former minister cannot be treated at the Prison Hospital.

However, the Magistrate rejected the request and stated that Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella would be granted bail in consideration of his medical condition.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Rambukwella on 02 February over his alleged complicity in the procurement of substandard IVIG vials while he was ordered remanded the following day. The former minister has remained in remand custody until today (11).

The arrest came hot on the heels of pressure from civil society activists and health sector trade unionists, who called for the immediate apprehension of the lawmaker.

In October 2023, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) revealed that forged documents were found to have been submitted for Customs clearance to procure a batch of vials containing human immunoglobulin, an antibody produced by blood plasma cells, which later failed the quality tests.

Prior to the apprehension of Rambukwella, seven arrests had been made in connection with the alleged drug procurement scam. But the fifth accused was later released on bail. 

As such, the former Health Secretary, former Additional Health Secretary, the Director of the Health Ministry’s Medical Supplies Division (MSD) and three other officials of the same division, as well as the owner of the company, which is said to have supplied the substandard batch of immunoglobulin vials, were arrested and remanded over the case.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects in the case, former Deputy Director of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. Thusitha Sudarshana, was released on bail when the case was previously taken up on May 06.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal on July 25 ordered the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court to release on bail the former Director of the Health Ministry’s Medical Supplies Division, Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake, who was also in remand custody. 

Accordingly, a total of 12 suspects had been arrested and remanded over the case while presently all but one of them are out on bail. The first accused, the owner of the company that supplied the substandard drugs, Sudath Janaka Fernando is receiving treatment while under remand custody.