The new bench of the Court of Appeal hearing the writ application filed by former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella challenging his arrest and remand over the controversial human immunoglobulin vaccine purchase case,
fixed the further hearing of the petition for Monday (10).
When the petition was heard before President of the Court of Appeal Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice B. Sasi Mahendran yesterday (05), President’s Counsel Faisz Musthapha appearing with Keerthi Thilakaratne for the petitioner made submissions and the Attorney General will made his submissions on Monday.
The counsel submitted that their client has been arrested and prosecuted for conspiracy and aiding and abetting under the Public Property Act.
But the provisions in this Act cannot be applied to him.
They also pointed out that the Cabinet Paper presented by Rambukwella as the then Health Minister for the procurement of drugs had been approved by the Cabinet.
Also, the first complaint on the issues relating to these drugs was also lodged with the CID on the Minister’s advice and therefore holding him as a suspect is unacceptable, the counsels pointed out.
Keheliya Rambukwella is the eight accused in the controversial substandard human immunoglobulin purchase case being heard in the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court.
He has named the Maligakanda Magistrate, the IGP, CID Director and several other parties as respondents to his writ petition.
Deputy Solicitors General Lakmini Girihagama and Nirmalan Wigneswaran appeared for the Attorney General in the Court.
(dailynews.lk)
