Alongside Rambukwella, the former Deputy Director of the Ministry of Health, Herath Kumar, and the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Dr. Vijith Gunasekara, were also granted bail.
The magistrate concluded that the suspects were experiencing severe mental stress and significant mental health issues. As a result, they were released on an individual cash bail of Rs. 100,000 and two additional bonds of Rs. 5 million each.
During the court proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, representing the Attorney General, presented a report from the Government Medical Council which confirmed that the suspects were at risk of suicide, suffering from severe mental illness, and had worsening heart conditions. The Deputy Solicitor General objected to granting bail, noting that the medical reports were dated from 2019 and did not necessarily reflect the suspects’ current health status.
She highlighted that the suspect had failed to present his current medical condition to the medical board, arguing that granting bail was not justified based on the latest health assessments.
In response, the magistrate noted that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, now aged 71, was suffering from significant health issues, as documented by the court. The magistrate also observed that Rambukwella had been in remand for over seven months, and his condition was gradually deteriorating according to medical records.
Considering these medical recommendations, the magistrate ordered the release of the suspects on bail, emphasizing the special circumstances presented by their health conditions.
