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SRI LANKA DEFENCE SECRETARY GOTABHAYA S ARRIVAL TRIGGERS LAWYER PROTEST
Friday, 6 November 2009 - 9:22 AM SL Time
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Sunday Leader defamation case
Lawyers vehicles barred from entering court premises
By Ananda Weerasuriya
Attorneys due to appear at the Mount Lavinia courts yesterday staged a protest by keeping away from courts for the alleged police interference, which prevented them from parking their vehicles within the court premises as Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was expected at the premises.
The police had allegedly prevented the vehicles of these Attorneys from entering the court premises as Defence Secretary was to arrive for the defamation case filed by him against The Sunday Leader newspaper and its assassinated Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.
Subsequently the lawyers had complained to the District Judge and the Magistrate on the action taken by the Police.
When the trial resumed, an Aviation Technology Director of the Air Force gave evidence before Mount Lavinia Additional District Judge Macky Mohamed. The witness said that following Gotabhaya Rajapaksa becoming the Defence Secretary he had requested the National Purchasing Authority to purchase MiG Aeroplanes for the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The Director Jayanath Kumarasiri stated this at the outset of the hearing of the case filed by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa against the Leader Publications (Pvt) Ltd., challenging a news item published in The Sunday Leader which the Defence Secretary s claim was defamatory to him.
He had claimed Rs 1000 million as damages from The Sunday Leader Publishers for defaming his goodwill by the articles published on July 15, 29 and August 5 in 2007 respectively.
The then Editor in Chief of The Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge, and the Leader Publications (Pvt) Ltd., were made defendants in the case. The Defence Secretary sued the Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge for publishing defamatory articles in the Sunday Leader Publications and for linking the name of the Defence Secretary to some transactions that alleged to have taken place whilst purchasing the MiG Aeroplanes for the Air Force.
Mr. Jayantha Kumarasiri further said that the six MiG Aero planes, manufactured in Ukraine in 2000, were purchased from a Singaporean company, namely DS Alliance, with each plane costing $ 1.6 million. He claimed that at the time of purchasing the aeroplanes its life span was two years. It was also estimated at 850 flight hours and 550 landing hours on each of the aeroplanes. He further contended that by 2004 the MiG aeroplanes proved to be more competent than the Kafir, Syama Getty and Pukara makes. It was planned to purchase four MiG Aeroplanes in 2005 and the idea was initiated in a usual manner all the way through the technical evaluation committee.
Counsel for the defendants raised an objection on the ground that the case was not filed as per the requirements of the Civil Procedure Code. However the objection was overruled by the Additional District Judge. Further hearing was postponed for January 19, 2010.
Counsel Ali Sabry instructed by Sanath Wijewardena appeared for Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Counsel Viran Corea and Suren Fernando instructed by Athula Ranagala appeared for The Leader Publications (Pvt) Ltd.
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Kusum70
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 253
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 6 Nov 2009 22:14:52 GMT Report for Abuse
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Good move Mr. Gota, You deserved it.
Peeelamist may not agreed, who cares.
Next time please don't take whole parking give some space for lawyers too. LOL
Edited By - Kusum70 - 6 Nov 2009 22:17:50 GMT |
smen
Joined: Nov 2009
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6 Nov 2009 22:50:08 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Gentlamen in black coats have forgoten how we srilankans lived under fear from ltte thugs in last 30years.it was this mans effort that freed our country. now we cant tolerate simple incident like this . most ingreatfull nation on earth |
Donnimal
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 200
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7 Nov 2009 01:19:18 GMT Report for Abuse
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Semen sorry smen
You are right we are the most ungrateful nation on earth. Especially the Sinhalayas!!!!
Sarath Fonseka has been officially Noticed and Warned that he should not speak of any Political Subject or indulge in Political behavior and/or in consultation with any Political Movement. If violated he is open for Court Martial Inquiry.
From 12 Midnight his personal Security has been taken off to the minimum. |
Senaratne
Joined: Jan 2009
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 7 Nov 2009 02:49:03 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Lawyers are officers of court. They assist court in the administration of justice. They should not be harassed in any manner. |
Donnimal
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 200
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7 Nov 2009 02:57:01 GMT Report for Abuse
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Gentleman in Black Coats are Professionals that helps litigants to gain Natural Justice. Law Courts and around are the Domain for the Legal profession. The Litigants have to find alternatives without invading the rights of the Lawyers. When Ex President JR was called to give evidence, he followed the normal path of a litigant. He never threw his position at others' face to gain extra advantages. Gotta, the quick upstart and covers himself of 'other's' glory has no right to invade our area.
The Black Coats as you say were fully aware of the country situation then and even NOW |
PolBanda
Joined: Sep 2006
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8 Nov 2009 00:56:09 GMT Report for Abuse
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Lawyers are officers of court. They assist court in the administration of justice. They should not be harassed in any manner.
I do not think anyone was harassed. But need to understand that Gotabaya saved Sri Lankans from blowing into pieces. We need to respect it. That is simple. |
chinwi
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 126
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 8 Nov 2009 04:32:53 GMT Report for Abuse
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UNP idiots and their media repeatedly claimed that these MIGs were many years old and not worth to buy. These UNP fools and $ funded mediamen though the war would drag on many years.
Finally the war ended withing designed timeframe and the MIGs were used extensively as planned.
If we spent huge sum of money to buy brandnew planes now the same idiots will sure make a big issue to blame the Government.
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Gotabhaya is woth 1000s of these bloodsucking lawyers |
chinwi
Joined: Sep 2008
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8 Nov 2009 04:40:16 GMT Report for Abuse
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As per DONNIMAL
Sarath Fonseka has been officially Noticed and Warned that he should not speak of any Political Subject or indulge in Political behavior and/or in consultation with any Political Movement. If violated he is open for Court Martial Inquiry.
Any fool should know personnel of Armed forces , Staff grade officers of Govt. Services are bound by the law, they can not engaged in political activities. If wanted they should resign. It is a simple fact. |
Senaratne
Joined: Jan 2009
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8 Nov 2009 09:08:14 GMT Report for Abuse
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PolBanda,
Maybe, Gota deserves credit for whatever he has done. I wouldn't be surprised if some people make a statue of him and offer it flowers and incense (handun kuru), as they did to R. Premadasa. He achieved something and let him have credit for that.
But on this day, his security saw to it that all the security vehicles were taken into court premises and not permitted lawyers to take their vehicles there, where they usually parked their cars. The lawyers were asked to park their vehicles far away and walk a long distance up to court premises. Unlike in the courts premises, there was no guarantee of the safety of their vehicles.
I cannot in any manner condone this kind of nonsense. |
Senaratne
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 41
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8 Nov 2009 09:19:25 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Lawyers at Mt. Lavinia objected to it irrespective of their political affiliations. |
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