Billingahawattegedara Karunaratne alias Raja v. Hon. Attorney General – SC SPL. LA. NO. 66/2017-2017

In the case between Billingahawattegedara Karunaratne alias Raja (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the Court of Appeal had fulfilled its duty to impartially and independently consider the arguments presented by both sides in an appeal. It was determined that the Court of Appeal’s judgment primarily reproduced the Attorney General’s written submissions, offering only a cursory affirmation of the conviction and failing to engage with the substantive arguments raised by the Accused-Appellant. This approach was found to be procedurally improper, resulting in prejudice against the Accused-Appellant. The Supreme Court set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal and ordered a re-hearing before a differently constituted bench