The Attorney General of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka vs Hewa Heenpallage Newton Dharmawansa – CA CASE NO. 75/2012-2012

In Attorney General of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka v. Hewa Heenpallage Newton Dharmawansa, the court addressed the issue of whether the conviction and death sentence for murder should stand based solely on circumstantial evidence. It was held that the conviction was properly grounded in strong circumstantial evidence, including the accused’s unexplained possession of the deceased’s belongings, last-seen circumstances, and use of the deceased’s identity. The principle that a verdict can be sustained on circumstantial evidence if it is strong, cogent, and points unerringly to guilt was reaffirmed. The decision relied on the Ellenborough principle and relevant case law concerning last-seen doctrine, underscoring that mere prior acquittal for a similar crime does not negate