Based on a complaint made by a civilian, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption commenced investigations into the misuse of two official vehicles by the former Health Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, without returning even after losing the ministerial portfolio.

During the investigations, it was revealed that the former Health Minister has taken along with him a number of vehicles, which the Ministry issued to him and his staff from May 2022 while he was the Health Minister, to the Environmental Ministry after being appointed as the Environment Minister on 23.10.2023 and has used them under that Ministry. After repeated reminders, he has returned the vehicles issued to his staff but has not returned the Mercedes Benz car and the V-8 Land Cruiser Jeep, the two vehicles issued to the Minister as his official vehicles. Although he resigned from his ministerial portfolio on 03rd February 2024, he has not returned the above two official vehicles.

Accordingly, while investigations are in progress and reasons for so far not taking back the two vehicles being called along with the present owners from the Secretaries to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Environment on 22.05.2024, it was revealed that the two vehicles had been returned to the Health Ministry’s Transport Division through a Personal Secretary of the remanded Parliamentarian, Mr. Kehaliya Rambukwella on 24.05.2024 and has informed of it to the Secretary to the Ministry of Health in writing on 25.05.2024.

The two vehicles are now under the charge of the Secretary to the Ministry of Health. However, investigations continue to find any misuse of the two vehicles.