Live Events asks for more time, breach of contract case moved once again

Saturday, 11 June 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

When the case filed against Live Events Ltd. for a serious breach of contract by Attorney-at-Law Nishan Premathiratne and his wife in respect of damages came up in the District Court on 8 June, Counsel appearing for Live Events Manjuka Fernandopulle appearing on the instructions of the Sinnadurai Sundaralingam & Balendra Associates moved Court for further time to file Objections in respect of the interim orders sought against Live Events in respect of preventing the alienation of the assets of the company.

Fernandopulle submitted to court that as the Directors of the company are overseas (Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene), instructions in respect of this case could not be obtained and thus Fernandopulle moved for a further two months to file such Objections.

This case came up previously on 4 May for Live Events to file its Objections where then too Fernandopulle moved for time until today to file such Objections. In reply Counsel Yasith Hirimburegama appearing for Nishan Premathiratne and his wife submitted to Court that this case and these interim orders specifically have been sought as there is a great danger that Live Events, a company which is non-functional and has been once blacklisted by the Colombo Municipal Council, would alienate assets to defraud a Judgment of the District Court.

Consequently, Hirimburegama submitted that these are also tactics by Live Events to delay Court proceedings by asking for such unreasonably long time periods. Owing to this unreasonable time sought by Counsel for Live Events, Yasith Hirimburegama questioned as to why Live Events could not give an undertaking to Court that Live Events would not alienate its assets until the trial is concluded.

Counsel for Live Events vehemently rejected that any undertaking can be given. Pursuant to hearing the parties, learned Additional District Judge granted time only until 29 June as a final date to file objections.

Attorney-at-Law Premathiratne commenced these proceedings against Live Events by demanding damages for their substantial breaches in the contract in respect of tickets issued and had been purchased at a high price of Rs. 35,000 each for the controversial Enrique Iglesias concert held on 20 December 2015, where immediately after the said concert owing to the immense public outcry the Directors of Live Events openly apologised to all ticket holders for the gross failure on their part, which in turn resulted in an immense disappointment for most of the ticket holders.

Though Live Events in this apology represented to refund such tickets, to date no such refund has been made. The legal team for Premathiratne and his wife appears on the instructions of Senior Attorney G.G. Arulpragasam and Sanjaya Fonseka who instructs President’s Counsel Kuvera de Zoysa, and includes Amritt Rajapakshe, Kushan Illangathilaka, Nadun Wijayasriwardena, Yasith Hirimburegama and Janith Fernando.