Attorney General vs Bimbirigodage Sujith Lal – SC APPEAL 14/2016-2018

In the case between the Attorney General and Bimbirigodage Sujith Lal, the Supreme Court considered whether the Court of Appeal erred in not ordering a retrial after identifying a procedural irregularity under section 195(ee) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act. The primary issue involved balancing the impact of a significant delay—nearly 20 years since the alleged offence and 8 years of remand—on the fairness and feasibility of a retrial, as well as assessing the sufficiency of circumstantial evidence in establishing guilt beyond reasonable doubt. It was determined that despite strong evidence against the accused, the consequences of a delayed retrial would cause undue prejudice to both the accused and witnesses, especially in light of the procedural irregularity affecting the accused’s