H. Victor, H. Sumanadasa, H. Preethirathna v. Hon. Attorney General – CA NO.231/2006-2015

In the case between H. Victor, H. Sumanadasa, H. Preethirathna (Accused-Appellants) and the Hon. Attorney General, the court addressed whether the conviction of the accused for murder under Section 296 of the Penal Code was valid in light of allegations that inadmissible evidence was presented to the jury. It was held that exposure of the jury to such inadmissible material resulted in significant prejudice, compromising the fairness of the trial and necessitating the setting aside of the guilty verdicts. The principle reaffirmed is that the presence of prejudicial inadmissible evidence can undermine the integrity of a verdict, requiring a retrial when the fairness of proceedings is affected. This determination was based on established legal standards concerning fair trial rights and the im