Keheliya’s travel ban temporarily lifted

The Colombo High Court yesterday ordered the temporary lifting of the travel ban imposed on Health and Water Supply Minister Keheliya Rambukwella for participating in several international conferences representing Sri Lanka.

Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe granted this permission after considering an affidavit submitted by Minister Rambukwella that he needed to travel abroad from February 21 to May 20, at the diplomatic level, to obtain essential medicines for the people and the health sector of this country. Minister Rambukwella requested court to grant him permission to participate in a conference in India, the Commonwealth Health Ministers’ Conference and the ‘Health Financing and Economic Challenges’ conference organized by the World Health Organization.

Deputy Solicitor General Azad Navavi appearing on behalf of the Attorney General stated that he will not oppose the request as long as it does not interrupt the trial.

The order was issued over a case filed against three accused including Minister Rambukwella for allegedly causing an unlawful loss to the government by misusing public funds belonging to the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) by purchasing 600 GI pipes.

The case will be taken up again on March 14.

The Bribery Commission filed an indictment in the Colombo High Court against Health and Water Supply Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, former Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Director General Liyanage Chandrapala and then Chairman Wimalasena Rupasinghe alleging that they have committed an offence of corruption under the Bribery Act during the period from November 25, 2014 to December 10, 2014, while Rambukwella was Minister of Mass Media, causing loss to the government by purchasing 600 GI pipes worth Rs. 990,000 from funds belonging to the SLRC.