The administration of the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) is to send a clarification on the corruption-related allegations against the KDU and the Hospital attached to the University which was sought by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), as soon as they receive legal advice from the Attorney General (AG), The Daily Morning learnt yesterday (17).

According to the Media Division of the Defence Ministry, the KDU administration is awaiting  legal advice from the AG’s Department to send the clarification to the Ministry on the corruption allegedly reported within the KDU and its University Hospital.

Speaking to The Daily Morning on 14 May, sources within the Ministry said that the Ministry has sought a response from the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the KDU, Major General (Retired) Milinda Peiris regarding the reported corruption allegations. 

Amongst the reported allegations which clarifications are sought for, from the VC and the KDU are: How costly medical equipment is purchased although some are underutilised; spending millions of Australian dollars to obtain accreditation to the University Hospital; the credibility of certain members  appointed to the tender boards and technical evaluation committees to procure medical equipment worth over millions of rupees; making spot purchases in the guise of emergency procurements; the procurement process initiated to install a hyperbaric oxygen chamber worth over Rs. 200 million; the construction of a 2,000-seat capacity auditorium at the KDU; the severe shortage of essential medicines, consumables, etc., for clinical services; the proposed plan for a dental faculty; promoting consultant doctors who have joined the KDU after retirement as full-fledged professors, thereby violating the University Grants Commission criteria; and reserving permanent academic cadre vacancies for retired consultants without filling the positions with qualified applicants.