By A Bail Plea for Keheliya
The Gossip in the town is that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella will soon be out as his laws say that he is a very ill person.The Minister who arrived at the Welkada Prisionhand cuffed was admitted to the Prison Hospital soon after his arrival.Attorney Anuja Premaratne, PC, appearing on behalf of Minister Rambukwella,urged the magistrate to take into consideration the medical status of Minister Rambukwella and grant bail.
The magistrate observed that it was a decision to be taken by the prison authorities. Technically Keheliya Ramukwella could be granted bail on the recommendation of prison medical officers.
Taxpayers’ Money
Meanwhile at Courts Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrama said that that the minister could not evade responsibility, saying he was not aware or could not remember. Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, said that Minister Rambukwella created a false sense of fear that the country was facing a severe shortage of medical supplies and that the health system would collapse in the event of a failure to provide supplies in time.
She further added that the Cabinet had been compelled by the minister to purchase medicines from unregistered suppliers.
The DSG told the court that Minister Rambukwella had been questioned why the imports had been made at a time when the World Health Organisation (WHO) was due to supply 7,600 vials of immunoglobulin. The response had been that there was doubt about the supplies. However, he had failed to give reasons for the doubt. She said the minister could not get away from the allegations that the taxpayers’ money had been misused.
