Bandula demands Rs. 1 Billion in damages

A Letter of Demand (LoD) has been sent on behalf of the Minister of Trade, Bandula Gunawardena, to a former board member of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), Thushan Gunewardena, demanding the immediate payment of a sum of Rs. 1 billion for defamatory statements made against him by the latter.

Attorney-at-Law Minolie Roshanara Alexander, on behalf of the Minister of Trade, said he is promoting and defending the political policies of the President and the Prime Minister and has been defending and speaking in public forums on the present political situation in the country and the future political solutions.

“My client has also been speaking from his knowledge on the economic policies of this country and economic reforms needed,” she added. She said that Thushan Gunewardena has on numerous occasions, in numerous ways and at numerous forums, by word and innuendo defamed Bandula Gunawardena and caused loss and damage to his good name and reputation.

“Amongst other things said by you, with the malicious and tainted intent and desire to verbally attack and defame my client, you have maligned my client as being part and parcel and/ or involved with undue interest in a fraud relating to the import, distribution and supply of garlic amongst other things, in this,” she added.

While stating that the said matters are both false and defamatory per say and/or by innuendo and not in the public good and/or interests and has caused tremendous and irreparable loss and damage to Bandula Gunawardena’s name, reputation, standing in society, recognition amongst peers, amongst his electors and the public at large.

“My client estimates the said damage at Rupees one billion and hereby demands the payment of the said sum of one billion rupees immediately,” she stated in the LoD adding that in the event of a failure to pay the said sum within 14 days, legal actions will be resorted to.

(Source: Ceylon Today)