By Shamindra Ferdinando
The SJB yesterday (04) said that a second no-faith motion would be moved against Environment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella unless President Ranil Wickremesinghe removed him from the Cabinet.
Minister Rambukwella was remanded until 15 Feb., pending further investigations into the procurement of a stock of fake human immunoglobulin. Responding to The Island queries, MP Kavinda Jayawardena said that the SLPP had defeated a no-faith motion against Rambukwella last year.
President Wickremesinghe appointed Rambukwella the Environment Minister.MP Jayawardena said that 113 MPs had voted against the no-faith motion against Rambukwella. The SJB had delayed moving a second no-confidence motion as it was aware of the President’s decision to prorogue Parliament.
The new session of Parliament begins on 07 Feb.
MP Jayawardena pointed out that there had never been a previous instance of a Minister and the Secretary to the same Ministry Secretary being remanded on corruption charges. The CID arrested former Health Secretary Janaka Chandraguptha in late Dec., 2023. The police arrested several others, including Hewage Sudath Janaka Fernando, the proprietor of Isolez Biotech Pharma.
Asked whether they were satisfied with the progress made by police so far, MP Jayawardena said that he would like to point out that the CID had recorded Rambukwella’s statement at his official residence. The powers that be had striven to save Rambukwella but had failed to do so due to mounting evidence against him, MP Jayawardena said.
“We expect the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption to initiate an inquiry,” MP Jayawardena said, adding that Rambukwella had become a liability for the ruling party. “Actually, the SLPP has suffered a debilitating setback ahead of the official launch of their presidential election campaign.”
