Dr. Maheshi Surasinghe Wijerathna, a consultant neurosurgeon at Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, has been accused of performing surgeries on brain-dead patients in an alleged corruption and medical ethics violation case.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) told the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that the neurosurgeon carried out procedures such as the insertion of External Ventricular Drains (EVDs) and VP shunts on patients who had been medically declared brain-dead — in some cases, up to five days prior.
CIABOC alleged that the surgeries had no therapeutic value and were conducted solely to generate income through the sale of medical equipment provided by a private company linked to the doctor and her husband.
Dr. Wijerathna, a hospital clerk, and a medical supplier are facing charges of corruption, abuse of authority, and endangering patient lives. They were arrested on 17th of June and produced in court.
Investigations revealed that the suspects directed patients to purchase medical supplies from external vendors, bypassing hospital procurement, and caused significant financial losses to the institution.
A private business named MN Medical Centre, allegedly operated by the doctor and her husband, was reportedly used to facilitate these transactions. Patients were often given WhatsApp invoices for items that were not physically delivered.
The Commission stated it had received around 92 complaints related to the doctor, and one witness, Nishantha Silva, claimed to have received threats after testifying.
Defense attorneys argued that the suspects had not interfered with the two-year investigation and that the arrest was sensationalized by the media. They also cited public hospital shortages as a reason for external purchases.
Despite these arguments, the Chief Magistrate denied bail for all three suspects, citing the gravity of the allegations and public interest, and ordered that they be remanded until July 8.
