The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. vs Colonel. M. Dissanayake – CA 0593/2000-2022

In the case between Colonel M. Dissanayake (Plaintiff-Respondent) and The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. (Defendant-Appellant), the court examined whether the publication of newspaper articles amounted to actionable defamation and addressed the applicability of Roman-Dutch law principles, specifically the requirement of animus injuriandi (intention to injure). The holding established that the newspaper was not liable for defamation, as animus injuriandi was not proven and the publication pertained to a matter of public interest, attracting the defense of privilege. This reaffirmed the principle that, under Sri Lankan law, malice or improper motive must be specifically established for liability, and privilege protects media reporting on matters of genuine public concern. The decision