January 06, Colombo (LNW): Herath Kumara, the former Deputy Director of Health Services (supplies division), has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today in relation to the importation of substandard Immune Globulin vaccines. He is set to appear before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court.
This arrest follows investigations into the importation of 22,500 vials of substandard vaccines, allegedly involving financial fraud amounting to Rs. 130 million. The probe, initiated last year, unveiled a scheme where a pharmaceutical company facilitated the import using forged documents, with the purported aid of senior state officials.
Sudath Janaka Fernando, operating under the alias ‘Aruna Deepthi,’ was identified as the owner of the said pharmaceutical company responsible for importing the substandard stock.
Further investigations implicated Chief Executive Officer of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), Dr. Vijith Gunasekera, and Ministry of Health’s Director of Supply, Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake, for allegedly providing forged ministry documents to facilitate the importation.
Previously, former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta was arrested in connection with the case. Additionally, in December 2023, the CID took a statement from former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella regarding the importation that transpired during his tenure.
