The Attorney General informed the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court yesterday (08) that the government suffered a loss of 97 million rupees in 2023 due to a vaccine procurement deal handled by the Medical Supply Division.
Following this, Maligakanda Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama directed the Bribery Commission to proceed with the investigation related to the complaint.
Additionally, the Criminal Investigation Department presented details to the court concerning another alleged fraud under the tenure of Kapila Wickramanayake, former Director of the Medical Supply Division, involving the purchase of Human Immunoglobulin injections.
Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, representing the division, revealed that the fraud took place during the procurement of a medicine called “Lactulose.”
“Medicom had secured a five-year contract to supply the Medical Supply Division with 120ml syringes of Lactulose. However, in 2023, due to the expiration of the company’s registration certificate, it was unable to continue supplying the medicine. The company informed Kapila Wickramanayake that they could provide the syringes for 1,408 rupees each and promised to renew the registration certificate. Despite this, the Medical Supply Division awarded the tender to Newgen, which supplied the same syringes at 2,490 rupees each. This decision resulted in a loss of 97.3 million rupees to the government for 90,000 syringes. I request that the complaint be referred to the Bribery Commission for further investigation,” she stated.
Magistrate Abeywickrama, after reviewing the facts, ordered the Bribery Commission to take the necessary actions on this complaint.
In a related case concerning substandard vaccines, the court reconvened today. Deputy Solicitor General Girihagama objected to a bail request for the supplier of the allegedly substandard medicine, who remains in custody.
“I strongly oppose granting bail to this suspect. On September 24, prison officers transferred the suspect from the Angoda National Institute of Mental Health to the prison hospital without proper legal authorization. This raises serious concerns, as it appears that certain individuals may be trying to secure the suspect’s release. Furthermore, the whereabouts of 144.4 million rupees, allegedly taken by the suspect in tulip bags, remain unknown, and investigations are ongoing. There should also be an inquiry into the suspect’s removal from the psychiatric institute. For these reasons, I request that bail be denied,” Girihagama argued.
After considering the submissions, Magistrate Abeywickrama ordered the suspect to remain in custody until October 22.
