The Rs. 1.4 billion vaccine fraud case against ex-Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella is delayed until September 16 due to annexure printing costs exceeding Rs. 10 million. The High Court also issued red notices for an absconding defendant.
The Colombo Permanent High Court, comprising a bench of three judges, has decided to postpone the delivery of indictments in the high-profile vaccine fraud case involving former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and 12 other accused. The reason for the delay is the failure to print the annexures that must accompany the chargesheets. The new hearing date has been scheduled for September 16.
Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Lakmini Girihagama, appearing on behalf of the prosecution, informed the court that while chargesheets have already been filed, the annexures related to the case are still pending submission.
Cost of Printing Annexures
According to DSG Girihagama, printing annexures for one defendant would cost Rs. 866,565, and since there are twelve defendants, the total cost rises to Rs. 10,398,780. The Government Printer has informed the legal authorities that the printing process will require approximately 21 days. In response, the DSG requested that the case be rescheduled beyond this time frame.
Acknowledging the logistical constraint, the High Court issued an order to call the case again on September 16.
What Happened in Court on July 11
The case was presented before Justices Mahesh Weeraman, Pradeep Abeyratne, and Amali Ranaweera. Notably, Sudath Janaka Fernando, identified as the first accused, was absent and is currently held in remand custody.
Another defendant, Dr. Jayanath Buthpitiya, a former doctor in the Medical Supplies Division (MSD), was also not present in court. His attorney informed the judges that he is currently abroad.
DSG Girihagama confirmed that Sudath Janaka Fernando is in remand and formally requested an order directing prison authorities to ensure his appearance at the next hearing. The court accepted this and issued the required instructions.
Regarding Dr. Buthpitiya, the court was informed that he had travelled to the United Kingdom on official leave on December 11, 2023, and was expected to return on February 9, 2024, but has not yet returned.
The prosecution further revealed that arrest warrants and Interpol Red Notices have been issued against Buthpitiya, based on evidence indicating his intentional evasion of court proceedings.
Consequently, the court reaffirmed the next hearing for September 16.
13 Charges Filed by the Attorney General
The Attorney General has framed 13 charges against the accused, including Keheliya Rambukwella, for conspiring to fraudulently misappropriate Rs. 1.444 billion from public funds. The indictment states that the accused supplied 6,195 vials of substandard human immunoglobulin and Rituximab, a non-medicinal substance, to the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry.
The other defendants include:
- Janaka Sri Chandragupta, former Secretary to the Ministry of Health
- Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake, former Director of MSD
- Rana Kumara Herath, Deputy Director General of MSD
- Dr. Saman Ratnayake, Additional Secretary
- Dr. Wijith Gunasekara, CEO of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority
- Several other health and administrative officials
Massive Witness List and Evidence Volume
The prosecution has named nearly 350 witnesses, including:
- Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe
- Former Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, Douglas Devananda, and Roshan Ranasinghe
Also included are high-ranking cabinet ministers and medical experts, among them Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama, Chairman of the NMRA.
In addition, nearly 300 exhibits have been submitted as evidence, making this one of the most extensive corruption cases in Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector.
The court will reconvene on September 16, expecting the annexures to be completed and all accused to be present.
