Substandard drugs import: Keheliya and other accused to be indicted before HC judge bench
June 3, 2025 06:06 pm
The Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court today (03) that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and the other accused in the case filed over the alleged importation of substandard human immunoglobulin vaccines, will be indicted before a three-member bench of High Court judges next week, Ada Derana Reporter said.
Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Wigneswaran, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, made this statement during the hearing of a Fundamental Rights petition filed naming former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several other as respondents. The petition has been filed against the purchase of drugs from two Indian companies that are not registered in the country, under the Indian credit line.
The petitions were filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka and Lionel Guruge, a Senior Research Officer at the Centre for Policy Alternatives.
The case was heard before a three-judge Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Janak de Silva, and Mahinda Samayawardhena.
Deputy Solicitor General Wigneswaran, representing the respondents, presented evidence and informed the court that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had completed its investigation into the alleged importation of substandard human immunoglobulin vaccines and had submitted its findings to the Attorney General’s Department.
He further stated that the Auditor General had also conducted an investigation into the questionable purchase.
Accordingly, the Deputy Solicitor General informed the court that a decision had been made to file indictments against former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several others before a three-member bench of High Court judges next week. He added that the Chief Justice had appointed the bench following a request by the Attorney General.
He also noted that the CID and the Bribery Commission are continuing investigations into other drug and medical equipment purchases mentioned in the petition.
Furthermore, the Deputy Solicitor General requested the court to obtain the relevant files from the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Sri Lanka (SPC) and to grant a six-month period to complete the ongoing investigations.
