Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking contempt proceedings against former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and four former senior health officials over their alleged failure to comply with a court order to pay a total of Rs. 275 million to the State.
According to TISL, the application was filed following the failure of the five respondents to make payments ordered by the Supreme Court in its March 27, 2026, judgment concerning irregularities in the procurement of medicines.
Under the judgment, Rambukwella was ordered to pay Rs. 75 million, while the former Secretary to the Ministry of Health, former Chairman and former Chief Executive Officer of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), and former Director of the Medical Supplies Division were each ordered to pay Rs. 50 million.
The Supreme Court had found that the respondents failed to establish the necessity of urgently procuring medicines while bypassing established procedures.
The court also determined that the relevant respondents had knowingly violated procurement regulations in facilitating purchases from a private supplier, thereby infringing the fundamental right to equal protection of the law guaranteed under Article 12(1) of the Constitution.
TISL said it confirmed with the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Health that the payments had not been made.
The organisation argued that although the court had not specified a deadline, the payments should have been made immediately.
It alleged that the continued failure to comply with the judgment amounted to wilful disobedience of the Supreme Court’s orders and constituted contempt of court.
The application, filed under case number SC/Contempt/09/2026, seeks appropriate legal action under Article 105(3) of the Constitution and the Contempt of a Court, Tribunal or Institution Act No. 8 of 2024.
TISL stressed that compliance with Supreme Court judgments was essential to upholding the rule of law and constitutional accountability.
The organisation has requested the Supreme Court to examine the alleged non-compliance and take appropriate action in accordance with the law. (Newswire)