Sri Lanka, Oct. 1 -- The Supreme Court, by a majority decision, yesterday ordered two officers of the Homagama Police to pay a total of Rs.1 million from their personal funds to a mason after finding that his fundamental rights had been violated through his illegal arrest and detention. The three-Judge Bench comprising Justices Menaka Wijesundera, Sampath Abayakoon and Mahinda Samayawardhena ordered Sub Inspector Chandrapala, in charge of the Crime Branch of the Homagama Police, and Headquarters Inspector/Officer-in-Charge Manawadu to each pay Rs.500,000 to the petitioner within three months as compensation.

Justice Sampath Abayakoon, whose judgement was agreed to by Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena, held that the two senior officers had a...