The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ruled that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several senior officials violated the fundamental rights of the public by purchasing medical supplies from an unregistered company under the Indian loan scheme in 2022, bypassing proper procurement procedures.
Delivering its judgment, a three‑judge bench headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena ordered Rambukwella to personally pay Rs. 75 million to the government.
The then Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta and former Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), Professor S.D. Jayaratne, were each directed to pay Rs. 50 million.
In addition, NMRA’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wijith Gunasekara and former Director of the Medical Supplies Division Dr. Thusitha Sudarshana were also ordered to pay Rs. 50 million each as compensation.
The ruling came after the Supreme Court examined a fundamental rights petition filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka and another party. (Newswire)