Two editors ordered to pay compensation

(March 27, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Colombo District Court yesterday ordered the editors of the Daily News and Dinamina newspapers to pay Rs. 30 million as compensation for publishing news items defaming a programme director of the Independent Television Network (ITN).

Priyantha Fernando, Colombo district judge issued this verdict after considering a petition filed by programme director of ITN, Mahasen Morawaka.

Editor of the Dinamina newspaper, Mahinda Abeysundara and Editor of the Daily News, Geoff Wijesinghe were cited as defendants in the petition.

The Colombo district court held that the publication of incorrect information stating that the programme director of ITN had been suspended from office amounted to an act of defamation.
-Sri Lanka Guardian