State v. Adigama Seelawansha Thissa Thero – CA NO : 270/2013-2015

In the case between The Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12 (Appellant) and Adigama Seelawansha Thissa Thero (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the sentence imposed for Grave Sexual Abuse of a minor under 16 years of age was legally adequate. It was held that the original sentence failed to meet the mandatory statutory requirements and was thus set aside, with a new sentence of seven years of rigorous imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently, along with an order for compensation to the victim. The holding reaffirmed the principle that the imposition of sentences for grave sexual offences must comply strictly with statutory minimums, particularly in cases involving vulnerable victims. The decision relied on relevant statutes mandating