By In the ongoing court case surrounding the substandard human immunoglobulin scam, defense lawyers have mounted a vigorous offensive against the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). The attacks came during a related hearing yesterday (December 27th) before Maligakanda magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama, where five suspects were presented.
The most scathing criticism targeted the CID’s handling of Sugath Janaka Fernando, the first suspect and owner of Isolez Biotech Pharma. His lawyers argued that the CID had deliberately disregarded Fernando’s repeated claims of merely acting on the orders of former health minister Keheliya Rambuwella.
Magistrate Abeywickrama, siding with the defense, instructed the CID to meticulously document Fernando’s statement regarding his accusations against Rambuwella. Further fueling the controversy, defense lawyers also questioned the CID’s decision to record Rambuwella’s statement at his residence instead of following standard procedure.
The magistrate, echoing the concerns, directed the CID to adhere to established protocols when recording future statements. Notably, the legal team defending the suspects boasts prominent figures like president’s counsel Roland Perera, M.M. Suhair, Kalinga Indatissa, and Anil Silva.
