Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption vs Illukpitiyage Jayantha Darmasiri Illukpitiya – CN262/2007-2015

In the case between the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (Complainant – Respondent) and Illukpitiyage Jayantha Darmasiri Illukpitiya (Accused – Appellant), the court addressed the issue of whether the conviction and sentence for accepting a gratification under Section 19C of the Bribery Act were justified, considering alleged contradictions in witness testimony and the evaluation of defence evidence. The holding determined that deficiencies in the High Court’s assessment—particularly concerning unaddressed contradictions and omissions in prosecution witness accounts and inadequate consideration of the defence—warranted the quashing of the conviction. The principle reaffirmed requires courts to rigorously address and analyze material contradictions and defence