Piyasena vs Officer in Charge, Police Station, Mawarala and Another – sllr 2005 volume 2 page 031

Brief
In the matter of Piyasenā v. Officer in Charge, Police Station, Mawarala and Another, the court addressed whether procedural irregularities during the trial—including the absence of a formal charge, failure to record the accused’s plea, and lack of a certificate from the Mediation Board—invalidated the proceedings. It was determined that these defects constituted material irregularities affecting the legality of the trial, and, by extension, all subsequent actions taken in pursuance of the conviction. The court reaffirmed the principle that criminal proceedings must strictly observe mandatory procedural requirements, including the necessity for formal charges and compliance with statutory mediation processes before assuming jurisdiction. Reliance was placed on the Penal Code, the Pri