Mataralage Nishantha Sampath vs The Attorney-General – CA APPEAL NO. 82/2011-2013

In the case between Mataralage Nishantha Sampath (Accused-Appellant) and The Attorney-General (Respondent), the court addressed whether the conviction for grave sexual abuse was supported by credible evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. The decision established that the material inconsistencies in the complainant’s evidence, unexplained delays in reporting, possible ulterior motives stemming from family disputes, and failure to adequately consider the accused’s unsworn dock statement undermined the reliability of the prosecution’s case. The holding reaffirmed that all such factors must be thoroughly evaluated, emphasizing established principles from Kularatne v. Queen and requiring that an accused’s dock statement be fairly considered in determining reasonable doubt. The outcome invalidated