Abdul Rasindu Mohamed Janoon Vs. The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka – CA 04/2013-2017

In the case between The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and Abdul Rasindu Mohamed Janoon, the court addressed whether a conviction and life sentence for possession of 25.5 grams of heroin could stand when it was established that the charge had only been read to the accused after the prosecution’s case was closed. It was determined that the procedural irregularity vitiated the conviction, and the court ordered the conviction and sentence to be set aside. The principle reaffirmed was that retrial is appropriate in cases of serious criminal charges where procedural errors occur, and time spent on remand alone is not sufficient ground for outright acquittal. Relevant statutes included the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, and reference was made to applicable case law on