Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited vs Prins Gunasekera – SC APPEAL NO. 141/11-2015

In the case between Prins Gunasekera and Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, the Supreme Court addressed whether the publication of a newspaper article in 1990 constituted defamation “per se” against Prins Gunasekera. The primary legal issues included the interpretation of the alleged defamatory content, the proper assessment of evidentiary standards, and the application of legal principles concerning defamation and damages. After a detailed review of legal precedent, the meanings attributed to the article, and the sufficiency of the evidence, the prior decision of the Court of Appeal was set aside, and the earlier judgment of the District Court was affirmed, with no order as to costs. The findings clarified the elements of defamation, reinforced the principle that defamatory meaning