The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday issued summonses on two doctors who are currently overseas, requiring them to appear in court on March 29 in connection with the death of a three-year-old boy at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Colombo.
The child, named in the Hiru News report as Amdi Faslim, died after being admitted for treatment of a kidney condition.
The case was taken up before Colombo Additional Magistrate Liyan Varusha Vithana. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) told the court it had received instructions from the Attorney General that the doctor said to have performed the surgery, along with a second doctor, needed to be brought to Sri Lanka so that statements could be obtained.
Summonses were accordingly issued on Dr Naveen Wijekoon, who is reported to have carried out the surgery, and Dr Nuwan Herath, who is reported to have conducted the pre-operative investigations. The CID said the case has been referred to the Attorney General for instructions.
What the court was told
Appearing for the aggrieved party, attorney Yushuf told the court that the surgery was performed by Dr Wijekoon and that the pre-surgery scan was carried out by Dr Herath. The lawyer said Dr Herath had reported before the operation that the child’s right kidney was in good condition and the left kidney was damaged.
According to the account placed before court, the child died after the remaining kidney became infected and was removed, leaving him without a functioning kidney.
Reports relating to a statement given by Dr Wijekoon over Skype had been received by the court, and the evidence notes were signed in open court by the predecessor magistrate on an earlier case date.
No findings of wrongdoing have been made against either doctor. The allegations summarised here are those placed before the court and reported by Hiru News; the Hiru filing does not state the year of the March 29 court date.
