Keheliya resigns as Cabinet Minister

President is likely to assign the subject of Environment to a new minister shortly

• Rambukwella has reportedly cited his decision to step down from the Cabinet portfolio until he is proven innocent and cleared of the ongoing case  
• Party is to study court case and allegations against the minister before taking any decision

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

The Ministry of Environment has been placed under President Ranil Wickremesinghe following the resignation of Keheliya Rambukwella from his cabinet ministry position yesterday.   Rambukwella submitted his resignation letter to the President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, and the President duly accepted it.   

In his resignation letter, Rambukwella reportedly cited his decision to step down from the Cabinet portfolio until he is proven innocent and cleared of the ongoing case. He is currently remanded until the 15th of February in connection with the controversial human immunoglobulin procurement scandal and is receiving medical treatment at the Prison Hospital. 

Calls for the resignation of Keheliya Rambukwella from his ministerial portfolio have escalated in light of mounting corruption allegations against him. It was reported that prominent figures within the government have also voiced their support for Rambukwella’s resignation.   

Sources said that the President has assumed control of the Ministry of Environment until a new cabinet minister is appointed. A Gazette notification was also issued regarding Rambukwella’s resignation from the position and the date effective was February 3, 2024.   

In October 2023, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) revealed that forged documents were found to have been submitted for Customs clearance to procure a batch of vials containing human immunoglobulin, an antibody produced by blood plasma cells, which later failed the quality tests.   
Investigations revealed that a local medicine supplier named Isolez Biotech Pharma AG (Pvt.) Ltd., had imported a batch of human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), allegedly by producing forged documents to the Sri Lanka Customs.   

The product, which was said to have been manufactured by Livealth Biopharma Pvt Ltd. India, was imported by Biotech Pharma. However, the India-based manufacturer has denied having a hand in this fraudulent activity and communicated to the NMRA that it has neither manufactured, supplied nor exported these products to any party.   
It was also found that funds amounting to Rs. 130 million were misappropriated through the unlawful procurement of 22,500 vials of IVIG.   

In the wake of the investigations, Keheliya Rambukwella was removed from the Health Minister post on October 23, 2023 and appointed as the Minister of Environment by the President after a number of allegations raised against the Ministry of Health during his tenure.   

The former Health Minister was arrested on February 1 by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and remanded in connection with the ongoing probe into the import of substandard Immunoglobulin injections.    
Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe is likely to assign the subject of Environment to a new minister shortly. A source close to the President said that he will do it either this evening or later after he returns to the country from his tour of Australia starting tomorrow.   

Besides, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) which Mr. Rambukwella represents is yet to decide what action should be taken against him at the party level. The party is to study the court case and allegations against the minister before taking any decision.    

•  President has assumed control of the Ministry of Environment until a new cabinet minister is appointed