August 30, Colombo (LNW):President’s Counsel Anuj Premaratne informed the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella is at a severe risk of becoming fully disabled or crippled. This statement was made during the hearing of the case concerning the distribution of substandard antibody vaccines in Sri Lankan hospitals.
Premaratne argued that granting bail to Rambukwella would be futile if he were to become totally disabled and requested the court to release him on suitable bail, citing inadequate treatment received from government hospitals. Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, representing the prosecution, suggested that Rambukwella’s bail could be considered after consulting a board of experts and reviewing their reports.
The magistrate directed Rambukwella to be examined by a board of expert medical practitioners and called for an urgent report. Additionally, the court ordered prison officials to refer Sudath Janaka Fernando, the owner of the pharmaceutical company and the first suspect in the case, to the Angoda National Institute of Mental Health following evidence of severe mental confusion and a suicide attempt in prison.
In a related case, Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe ordered prison officials to present Rambukwella to a medical panel, including a specialist in physical diseases at the Colombo National Hospital. This order was issued during the hearing of a case filed by the Bribery or Corruption Investigation Commission against Rambukwella and two other defendants, dating back to the 2015 presidential election when Rambukwella, then Minister of Media, allegedly misused 990,000 rupees in public funds to purchase 600 GI pipes.
