G.A.P. Indika Ruwan Pathirana vs The Officer in Charge, Police Station, Warakapola – CA PHC APN 159/2011-2013

In the case of G.A.P. Indika Ruwan Pathirana (Petitioner/Accused) v. Officer in Charge, Police Station, Warakapola & The Attorney General (Respondents), the court addressed the issue of whether an order of confiscation of a vehicle used to transport timber, following a conviction under Section 24(b) of the Forest Ordinance, should be varied or set aside. It was held that an unconditional plea of guilt by the owner-accused precluded subsequent challenge to the confiscation order, reaffirming the principle that a direct admission of guilt by a vehicle owner removes grounds to contest the statutory consequences of conviction. The decision relied on interpretation of Section 24(b) of the Forest Ordinance and distinguished existing precedents that were applicable only to cases involving third-p