Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, along with top ex-ministers and leading doctors, has been named as a key witness in the high-profile court case against ex-Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella over the alleged Rs. 1.4 billion substandard vaccine fraud. With 350 witnesses and 13 serious charges, the courtroom drama is only beginning.
In a dramatic turn of events, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and several senior cabinet members have been named as key witnesses in the ongoing trial against former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, who faces 13 charges relating to the supply of substandard human immunoglobulin vaccines.
The Attorney General filed indictments before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar on June 26 against Rambukwella and 11 others. The case involves an alleged fraud of Rs. 1.444 billion linked to the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) under the Ministry of Health.
The witness list includes prominent political figures such as Nimal Siripala de Silva, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Douglas Devananda, and Roshan Ranasinghe, along with a panel of doctors led by Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama, Chair of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA).
According to the indictment, the accused allegedly supplied 6,195 vials of non-medicinal substances labelled as Human Immunoglobulin and Ritopsimap, deceiving the Ministry and endangering public health.
Given the case’s national significance, the Chief Justice appointed a special three-judge bench consisting of Justices Mahesh Weeraman, Amali Ranaweera, and Pradeep Abeyratne to oversee the trial.
This high-stakes legal battle will see nearly 350 witnesses testify, making it one of the most expansive medical fraud cases in recent Sri Lankan history.
This case highlights the serious implications of corruption within the healthcare system, especially when public health is at stake. The involvement of high-profile political figures as witnesses underscores the complexity and gravity of the situation. It’s concerning how such a large-scale fraud could go unnoticed for so long, risking countless lives. The appointment of a special bench shows the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring justice. How will this trial impact public trust in the healthcare system and the government’s accountability? Given the growing economic instability due to the events in the Middle East, many businesses are looking for guaranteed fast and secure payment solutions. Recently, I came across LiberSave (LS) — they promise instant bank transfers with no chargebacks or card verification. It says integration takes 5 minutes and is already being tested in Israel and the UAE. Has anyone actually checked how this works in crisis conditions?