Rs. 8.4 Million loss from copper theft at KDU Hospital revealed at COPE

A loss of Rs. 8,442,091 caused by the theft of 2,199 metres of copper strips from the lightning protection system of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Hospital has been revealed at the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

The matter was discussed during a COPE meeting held in Parliament on October 21, 2026, chaired by Member of Parliament Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera.

The management of KDU was summoned before the Committee to examine the Auditor General’s Reports for 2023 and 2024, along with the university’s current performance and operations.

During the meeting, it was revealed that a civilian contract worker and a Navy member had been arrested and produced before court in connection with the theft of copper strips in 2022 and 2023.

However, the Committee questioned differences between the total quantity of copper strips reported stolen and the quantity recovered by Police. It also sought explanations regarding differences in the measurements recorded in documents relating to the items produced as evidence in court.

The Committee also raised concerns about weaknesses in the hospital’s management of assets and internal control systems.

It was revealed that proper records of assets and their quantities had not been maintained since the hospital began operations. Responsibilities for maintaining the electrical and lightning protection systems had also not been properly assigned to officers, while scheduled maintenance inspections had not been carried out.

The Committee also questioned why aluminium wires had been used instead of copper when restoring the lightning protection system after the theft. It sought clarification on whether the restored system met the required technical and safety standards.

Meanwhile, COPE examined several problems affecting hospital services, including the limited use of certain wards, operating theatres and intensive care units at the hospital, which has more than 800 beds.

The shortage of medical officers and other hospital staff was also discussed.

To address these problems, the Committee instructed the hospital’s administrative authorities to make an urgent decision on whether the hospital should operate under a government hospital model or a private hospital model.

The Committee warned that failing to make a clear decision and take the necessary action could further worsen the existing problems.

COPE also discussed the repayment of foreign loans obtained for the construction of the hospital, the long delay in constructing an auditorium, and audit findings relating to the financial and administrative controls of CUE Technologies Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, a company affiliated with KDU.

The Committee further stressed the need to amend the existing University Act without delay to improve the university’s management and administration.

It was noted that instructions had already been issued to begin the amendment process, taking into account problems identified earlier. The Committee emphasised the importance of speeding up the necessary legal and administrative procedures.

COPE Chairman Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera stressed the need to make better use of public resources by improving hospital operations, addressing staff shortages, improving medicine management and strengthening the university’s financial and administrative control systems.

Several MPs, including Dayasiri Jayasekara, Mujibur Rahuman, Nilanti Kottahachchi, Samanmali Gunasinghe, Dr. S. Sribavanandarajah, Prageeth Madhuranga and Jagath Manuwarna, attended the meeting.

The Commanders of the three Armed Forces and officials from the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University also participated.