Defence Secretary sues The Leader
COLOMBO: Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has filed action in
the District Court of Mount Lavinia against The Sunday Leader chief
editor Lasantha Wickramatunga and Leader Publications Pvt Limited
claiming a sum of Rs 1,000 million as damages in respect of an article
published in the Sunday Leader of July 15, 2007 under the headline 'MiG
deal crash lands on Government.'
The Defence Secretary filing action through his Attorney at Law,
Sanath Wijewardane, had stated that the article published in the
newspaper was animus injuriandi and prayed court to grant him necessary
relief and the cost, including interest until the final determination of
the case.
He informed Court that the articles clearly identified him with
photographs and other details and they have been published with
malicious intent to damage his reputation. He said several articles
published in the newspaper on the MiG aircraft purchases made further
allegations against him which were false and defamatory.
The Petitioner stated that his reputation suffered both on a personal
level and as the Defence Secretary through the publication of the said
articles.
The Court was told that the petitioner had earlier demanded Rs.250
million as damages for publishing the said material but Leader
Publications had not paid the said amount.
The petitioner said he hails from a distinguished political family
that has served the country with distinction for generations. He joined
the Army in 1971 and played an active role in operations against the
terrorists.
He was awarded the Rana Sura and Rana Wickrama medal by the State in
recognition of his bravery. He retired from the Army after a
distinguished service of 20 years. He then followed a post graduate
computer course at the Colombo University and left for the United States
where he worked as a computer systems specialist at the prestigious
Loyola Law School.
Then he was appointed as the Defence Secretary in 2005 and since
then, he has been working with dedication and commitment to lead the
decisive battle against terrorism carried out by the Security Forces.
He told Court that in order to minimise any irregularities and
corruption in the purchases made by the Security Forces he established a
completely Government owned company top act as local agent for such
purchases, thus saving a large sum that would otherwise have been lost
to the country in the form of agents fees and commissions.
All these steps have led to unprecedented victories against
terrorism.
The petitioner said that in this background, the publication of the
said articles was designed to tarnish his reputation and credibility.
|