Watagoda Gallage Dona Dharmaratna Menike v. Hon. Attorney General – 2577/07-2012

In the case between the Hon. Attorney General, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Respondent) and Batagoda Gallage Dona Dharmarathna Manike (alias Batagoda Nahallage Dona Dharmarathna Manike) (Appellant), the court addressed whether a conviction for murder under Section 296 of the Penal Code was justified or whether the evidence supported a conviction for the lesser offense of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 297. It was determined that the conviction for murder could not be sustained as the evidence demonstrated lack of premeditation and intention to kill, and did not conclusively establish knowledge that death would be the probable result of the act. Instead, the conviction was substituted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 297, an