Rathnapala vs. Attorney General – sllr 2021 volume 3 page 313

In the case between RATHNAPALA (Plaintiff-Appellant) and the ATTORNEY GENERAL (Defendant-Respondent), the issue revolved around the admissibility and probative value of evidence—particularly the recovery of a child’s body—following charges of kidnapping and murder. The court evaluated whether evidence obtained under section 27 of the Evidence Ordinance, whether acquired legally or under coercion, could be admitted based on a balance of its prejudicial effect versus probative value. It was held that the conviction and sentence of the appellant should stand, reaffirming the principle that improperly obtained evidence is admissible if its probative value outweighs potential prejudice, as established through precedents and statutory interpretation. The decision emphasized that clear circumstan