Fowzie loses fundamental rights case - ordered to pay Rs. 6.6 million in compensation

The Supreme Court has ordered former Minister A.H.M. Fowzie to pay a compensation of Rs. 6.6 million, concluding that his use of a vehicle provided by the Netherlands government for disaster management activities in Sri Lanka for his personal needs violated fundamental rights.

According to the court order, the relevant compensation amount must be credited to the government's Consolidated Fund. The verdict further emphasized that a portion of Rs. 1,664,334.93 from the total payable amount should be paid within one month of the order, and the remaining amount within two months.

In addition to the financial compensation, the former minister has also been ordered to publish a public apology notice, including a photograph of the vehicle, regarding the act committed by him. The Supreme Court has also stipulated that this notice must be published within one month, covering half a page on the front pages of 'Silumina', 'Sunday Observer', and 'Thinakaran' newspapers.

This verdict was delivered after hearing a fundamental rights petition filed by Mr. Chandra Jayaratne, a former chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The relevant court decision was announced by a three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Messrs. Preethi Padman Surasena, Janak de Silva, and Arjuna Obeyesekere.