L.G.Dhanaratne vs The Attorney-General – CA 102/2012-2013

In the case between L.G. Dhanaratne (Accused-Appellant) and The Attorney-General (Respondent/State), the court addressed the issue of whether the conviction and death sentence imposed for the murder of the appellant’s daughter, Champika Kumari Dhanarathne, was legally sustainable. The court held that the prosecution had established guilt beyond reasonable doubt and upheld the conviction and sentence, reaffirming the principle that delayed witness testimony is admissible when adequately justified. This decision relied on legal precedents such as Queen v. Paulin de Croos and Sumanasena v. Attorney General, emphasizing that delay in reporting by dependent witnesses does not automatically discredit their testimony if the delay is explained, thereby upholding the integrity of witness evidence d