The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday (26) ordered the release on bonds of former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and three other respondents who failed to pay in full the compensation the Court ordered in connection with the importation of substandard medicines. The Court has also prohibited them from leaving the country.

In March, the Court ruled that fundamental human rights had been violated through the process of importing substandard medicines during the previous Government. It ordered five respondents, including Rambukwella, to pay compensation. Rambukwella was directed to pay Rs 75 million.

However, his attorney informed the Court that he had paid only Rs 20 million of the stipulated amount.

The latest order followed a motion filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka, which alleged that Rambukwella and the other respondents had committed contempt of Court by failing to pay the prescribed compensation in full.

The order was delivered by a three-Judge bench headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena.