Ex-minister Keheliya and others found guilty, fined over medicine procurement scandal
March 27, 2026 12:50 pm
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ruled that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several others violated Fundamental Rights of the public through the procurement of health supplies from an unregistered company, in breach of standard procurement procedures, under the 2022 Indian Credit Line.
According to the verdict, former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has been ordered to pay Rs. 75 million to the state from his personal funds, said Ada Derana reporter.
Additionally, the court has mandated that the former Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Janaka Chandragupta, and the former Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), Professor S.D. Jayaratne, pay Rs. 50 million each to the government.
Furthermore, the judgment specifies that the Chief Executive Officer of the NMRA, Dr. Vijith Gunasekera, and the former Deputy Director of the Medical Supplies Division (MSD), Dr. Thushitha Sudarshana, must also pay Rs. 50 million each as compensation to the state.
The ruling was delivered by a three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, following the conclusion of a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) and two other parties.
