The Supreme Court on Tuesday was informed that summons had not been served on Lankaenews website editor Sandaruwan Senadheera in connection with several contempt of court cases filed against him.
President’s Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya appearing on behalf of the petitioner who filed 14 contempt of court cases informed the Supreme Court that summons has not been served on Sandaruwan Senadheera who is residing in the United Kingdom.
He said the petitioner had taken measures to serve summons on Lankaenews editor through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He made these remarks when the contempt of court applications for allegedly publishing defamatory articles which appeared in Lankaenews defaming the judges from the Apex Court to the Magistrate’s Court castigating their characters were taken up in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Bench comprised Justice Eva Wanasundara, Justice Prasanna Jayawardena and Justice Vijith Malalgoda.
On January 19, 2016, two persons including Sandaruwan Senadheera were noticed to appear before the Supreme Court on March 3 last year. However, the second accused, an Attorney-at-law was present in Court.
These petitions are to be taken up for mention on September 10.
These 14 complaints had been filed by former Deputy Mayor of Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Municipal Council, Attorney-at-Law Madura Vithanage complaining that there had been a series of articles published in the social media web site/face book named “Lankaenews” in which the judges and the Judicial Institutions had been critically ridiculed and intimidated and at certain instances there had been scathing attacks on judges commencing from Magistrates to the Chief Justice.
The complainant stated that through the contents of the said articles, the web site/Facebook owner/operator has insulted, defamed, and ridiculed the judges whose names are referred to therein and there is direct and indirect intimidation on judges as well as the judiciary as a whole.
In his petitions, the petitioners cited lankaenews editor Sandaruwan Senadheera as the accused and the Attorney General and the President of Bar Association of Sri Lanka as respondents.
The petitioner is requesting the Court to charge the accused on the offence of contempt of the Supreme Court under Article 105(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka and grant an order restraining the accused preventing him from publishing further contemptuous statements/articles scandalizing the judges or any judicial institution including the Supreme Court and the Judicial Services Commission until the conclusion of this case.
“These articles have attacked on both the judicial conduct as well as the private lives of the judges and caused embarrassment not only to the judges but also to the entire judiciary,” the complainant said.
The complainant stated that “Lankaenews” is a web site owned and maintained by Sandaruwan Senadheera from London, United Kingdom.
He further stated that the contents in the said articles are derogatory of the judiciary and the judges and tantamount to contempt of court punishable under law.
President’s Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya appeared for the petitioner. Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appeared for the Attorney General. President’s Counsel J.C. Weliamuna with counsel Upul Kumarapperuma appeared for the second accused.
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