Hakkini Asela De Silva and others Vs. Hon. Attorney General – SC APPEAL NO. 14/2011-2014

In the case between the appellants (Wijelatha, Ravindra, and others) and the Attorney General, the court addressed whether the trial judge erred in the application of the doctrine of common intention in a murder conviction and misdirected the burden of proof concerning the appellants’ alibi. The court held that the evidence presented, including key testimony from witnesses such as Nishshanka Rasika de Silva and Reserve Police Constable Karunasena, supported the conviction of the appellants beyond reasonable doubt. The findings established that the alleged misdirection regarding the alibi did not create a miscarriage of justice, since the prosecution’s evidence was sufficient to affirm guilt. By reaffirming the principle that the prosecution must prove its case while the burden on an accuse