Driver Gune vs. Republic of Sri Lanka – sllr 2009 volume 2 page 383

In the case between Driver Gune (the appellant) and the Republic of Sri Lanka, the court addressed whether statements (P4, PS, and P6) made by the appellant during police investigation constituted inadmissible confessions under Section 25 of the Evidence Ordinance, and whether using such statements to challenge the appellant’s testimony violated evidential standards. The findings established that admitting these statements as confessional evidence was improper and prejudicial, resulting in the conviction and death sentence being set aside. Emphasis was placed on precedents including Queen vs. Anandagoda and Regina vs. E. W. Batcho, reaffirming the principle that confessions made to a police officer are inadmissible and cannot be used for impeachment. The case outcome required a retrial, un