Foreign Minister ordered to pay legal costs

Sandasen Marasinghe

Colombo District Judge Sisira Ratnayake yesterday ordered Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to pay legal cost of Rs. 105,000 to Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickramathunga and feature writer Fredrica Jansz when the Minister was failed to appear before the Court.

The counsel appearing for Rohitha Bogollagama submitted before court that the Minister had to be present at the Parliament and the Court put off the case for January 25.

Minister Bogollagama filed a case before the District Court citing Lasantha Wickramathunga and Fredrica Jansz as the defendants and submitted that an article published in the Sunday Leader on February 16, 2003 was defamatory at him but Bogollagama was failed to appear before the Court due to various reasons when the case was taken up for hearing.

President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva and Sugath Caldera instructed by G.G. Arulpragasam appeared for defendants while President’s Counsel Mohan Pieris instructed by Sudath Perera Associates appeared for Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.