Independent Newspapers Ltd. v. Nissanka Parakrama Wijeratne – sllr 1995 volume 2 page 253

In the case between Independent Newspapers Ltd. and Nissanka Parakrama Wijeratne, the court addressed whether the publication of two juxtaposed photographs with a provocative headline and sub-title constituted defamation. It was determined that the arrangement and statements, either alone or by innuendo, did not carry an adverse meaning sufficient to sustain a defamation claim. The judgment reaffirmed the principle that for defamation to be made out, the statement or image must inherently convey a defamatory meaning, and such meaning must not rest on speculative or strained interpretation. The case relied on standards concerning defamatory content and the interpretation of innuendo, underscoring that strained inference does not suffice. The District Judge’s judgment was set aside, and cost