Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and seven other suspects have been further remanded until June 14, over the purported importation of inferior Immune Globulin vaccines.
Meanwhile, the court ordered the release of the fourth suspect in the case on a monetary bail of Rs. 100,000 and two surety bails each of Rs. 500,000.
The order was issued when the case was taken up before the Maligakanda Magistrate on Monday.
The suspects were arrested and remanded after the Criminal Investigations Department launched an investigation into allegations that a pharmaceutical company had imported 22,500 vials of substandard Immune Globulin vaccines by creating forged documents with the assistance of the two senior state officials.
Investigations revealed that financial fraud of Rs. 130 million had occurred via the imports of the said substandard medicine, under the tenure of Keheliya Rambukwella as Health Minister.
Based on the investigations, several Health Ministry officials, including Rambukwella, were arrested and remanded over the matter, while Rambukwella’s revision application seeking bail has been rejected several times by the Colombo High Court. (Newswire)
