Thushara Fernando vs. Attorney General – sllr 2019 volume 1 page 079

In the case between Thushara Fernando (Appellant) and the Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the sufficiency of circumstantial evidence to sustain a conviction for murder. It was held that a conviction based exclusively on circumstantial evidence is valid if the evidence is so cogent and complete as to exclude any reasonable hypothesis other than the guilt of the accused. The decision reaffirmed the principle that each incriminating fact must be proved beyond reasonable doubt and that the totality of the evidence must form a complete chain pointing to the accused’s guilt. Reliance was placed on established legal standards and precedents relating to circumstantial evidence, underscoring the importance of a fair evaluation of both the prosecution’s and the appellant’s cases.