17 February 2024 12:00 am Views - 150
By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
The delivery of the order pertaining to the objections raised by former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in connection with a corruption case filed by the Bribery Commission was yesterday postponed for March 7 by the Colombo High Court.
The Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption had filed this corruption case against former Cabinet Minister Rambukwella and former State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Chairman Jayampathi Bandara Heenkenda for allegedly causing an unlawful loss of Rs.230,984 to the government after paying Minister’s one-month mobile phone bill using SPC funds while functioning as the Mass Media Minister in 2012.
When the matter came up before Colombo High Court Judge Damith Thotawatte, the former Minister was not present before court. Defence Counsel informed court that his client has been remanded over another court case and currently receiving treatment at the Prison Hospital. Meanwhile, the High Court judge issued an order directing the prison authorities to produce former Minister Rambukwella before court if he is healthy enough to attend court on the next hearing date. The Bribery Commission alleged that Minister Rambukwella, while serving as the Mass Media Minister had induced the former SPC chairman to pay his mobile phone bill from March 15, 2012, to April 14, 2012, causing an unlawful loss to the government.
The Bribery Commission had named former (SPC) Jayampathi Bandara Heenkenda as an accused of aiding and abetting to commit the offence.