Dapanadurage Sarath vs. The Hon. Attorney General – 105/2012-2017

In the case between The Hon. Attorney General (representing the State) and Dapanadurage Sarath, the court addressed the issue of whether the conviction and sentence for rape under section 364(2)(e) of the Penal Code—where the accused was alleged to have raped his minor daughter—should be upheld on appeal. It was held that the conviction and sentence imposed by the High Court of Panadura were to be affirmed, with the appellate court finding no material error or prejudice sufficient to warrant intervention. The court reaffirmed the principle that credible testimony of a prosecutrix in sexual offence cases does not invariably require corroboration, emphasizing that judicial interventions to protect vulnerable witnesses could be justified without undermining the fairness of the trial. The deci