The Court of Appeal is scheduled to deliver its decision on August 09 regarding the petition filed by Keheliya Rambukwella, seeking an order to invalidate the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court’s order remanding him until the end of the trial over the alleged import of substandard medicine.
The court will also address his bail application on the same date. This decision was previously expected to be delivered on August 01.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Rambukwella on 02 February over his alleged complicity in the procurement of substandard IVIG vials.
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 drug procurement scam. But the fifth accused was later released on bail.
As such, the former 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 in remand custody.
Meanwhile, one of the suspects who was arrested and remanded in connection with the case was released on bail when the case was previously taken up on May 06.
Accordingly, the former Deputy Director of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. Thusitha Sudarshana had been released on bail.
Meanwhile, on July 25, the Court of Appeal 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.
The Court of Appeal had issued the order to the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court to release Dr. Wickramanayake under suitable bail conditions, after considering a writ petition filed by his attorneys
-Ada Derena