Yogaratnam vs Naheem and Others – sllr 2004 volume 3 page 212

In the case between Yogaratnam (Plaintiff) and Naheem and Others (Defendants), the court addressed the validity of an affidavit attested by a Justice of the Peace who lacked legal authority within the Judicial District of Colombo. The leave to appeal application was challenged on the basis that the affidavit was attested by Wijesurendra Lokuge, who did not possess jurisdiction in Colombo. It was held that the de facto status of a Justice of the Peace does not suffice to confer validity on the affidavit, reaffirming the principle that attestation must be by a duly authorized official. This determination relied on precedents including Ceylon Workers Congress v S. Sathasivan and Foreign Employment Bureau of Sri Lanka v Suraj Dandeniya, emphasizing that statutory requirements for valid attesta