Upul Jayasuriya sues Azath Salley for alleged defamatory statements

• District Court fixes pre-trial inquiry for 11 September

 By S.S.Selvanayagam 

Colombo District Court yesterday fixed pre-trial inquiry for 11 September on the defamation litigation initiated by Attorney-at-Law Upul Jayasuriya against politician Azath Sally for his alleged defamatory speech.

The matter was taken up before District Court Judge R. P. D. P. P. Ratnayake. Plaintiff Upul Jayasuriya is seeking a sum of Rs. 100 million as damages from the Defendant Azath Salley. 

The Plaintiff, who is the incumbent Chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI), claims that throughout his long career as an Attorney-at-Law, he has earned a positive, honourable reputation amongst his peers in the legal profession, the judiciary and the public.

He complained that the Defendant, who is a politician and a businessman, made a speech at a media briefing on 14 July 2016 held by People’s Intellectual Assembly, and levelled several baseless allegations against him.

He states that among other allegations, the Defendant has asserted that his purported malpractices have caused potential investors to take their investment and leave Sri Lanka, and thereby caused a loss to the country. 

He laments the alleged defamatory allegations made by the Defendant in his speech at the said media briefing have harmed his reputation and brought him ridicule and contempt from the public. S. A. Parathalingam PC, with Niskan Parathalingam, instructed by Samararatna Associates, appeared for the Plaintiff. N. M. Saheed, instructed by Earnest Law Associates, appeared for the Defendant.