Supreme Court upholds arbitration award in favour of Jacobe Resources against IGP

Wednesday, 14 January 2026 05:37 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the Inspector General of Police, affirming a Commercial High Court judgment that enforced a 2019 arbitration award in favour of Jacobe Resources International Singapore Ltd. over breached contracts, thereby confirming the State’s liability for damages, legal interest, and arbitration costs.

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka sitting in Colombo presided by Justices Mahinda Samayawardhena and Sampath Wijeratne by Order dated 6 November 2025 refused and dismissed a Petition to the Supreme Court dated 15 February 2023 by the Inspector General of Police through the Attorney General, seeking to Appeal from an Order of the Commercial High Court Colombo and seeking to set aside the Arbitral Award in 2019 and the consequent Judgment of the High Court.

The High Court Civil of the Western Province by Judgment dated 5 January 2023 by T.G.S.A. Perera Jr. had given Judgment refusing to set aside the Arbitral Award and proceeded to enforce the Arbitral Award and enter Judgment in favour of the Claimant Company against the Respondent party the Inspector General of Police in terms of the Arbitral Award dated 19 July 2019.

Previously, the Claimant Company Jacobe Resources International Singapore Ltd. had referred disputes to Arbitration against the Inspector General of Police in relation to a contract. After a lengthy Arbitration, the majority of the Arbitral Tribunal headed by former Chief Justice G.P.S. de Silva and entered majority Judgment granting the Claimant Company certain portions of its claims and stating that two contracts have been breached and that the Claimant Company is entitled to damages together with legal interest from 2014 and the cost of Arbitration.

Consequently, the High Court by its Order had stated that the majority Arbitrators have made a well analysed Award and proceeded to enforce the said Arbitral Award and give Judgment in terms of the Arbitration Act.

This Judgment was entered consequent to an application to set aside Arbitration Award. Thereby both applications were consolidated in terms of the Law.

Thereafter, by a Petition to the Supreme Court, the office of the then Inspector General of Police by Petition dated 15 February 2023 had attempted to set aside the Judgment of the High Court and the Arbitral Award.

Hearing submissions on behalf of the State and the Respondent Company, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka had rejected the application to the Supreme Court and consequently the Judgment of the High Court enforcing the Arbitral Award was affirmed.

Counsels Hiran de Alwis with Kisal Goonerathne and Prathap Perera instructed by DLF de Saram Attorneys-at-Law appeared for the Claimant Company. The Inspector General was represented by the Attorney General