Siriwardena Gedera Hemachandra v. Hon. Attorney General – CA NO:259/2014-2014

In the case between Siriwardena Gedera Hemachandra (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether sentences of three years’ rigorous imprisonment on each of Counts 1 and 3 for soliciting and accepting a bribe should run concurrently or consecutively, and whether these sentences may be backdated to the date of conviction as per Section 359 of the Criminal Procedure Code. It was held that the sentences on Counts 1 and 3 must run concurrently and be backdated to the date of conviction. This holding reaffirms the application of Section 359 of the Criminal Procedure Code regarding the commencement of sentences and the court’s discretion when multiple counts are involved, emphasizing judicial flexibility and fairness in sentencing, partic