Gangodawilage Manoshantha Vs. The Hon. Attorney General – CA 296/2008-2008

Brief
In the case between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (represented by the Hon. Attorney General) and Gangodawilage Manoshantha (1st Accused/Appellant), the Supreme Court addressed whether an accused could be convicted for being a member of an unlawful assembly when two co-accused had been acquitted, alongside the reliability of eyewitness evidence and procedural adequacy of the identification and prosecution. It was held that conviction for unlawful assembly may be sustained if evidence shows that five or more persons participated, regardless of subsequent acquittals, provided the original charge and facts support such a finding. The reliability of familial eyewitnesses was upheld, with the lack of an identification parade found immaterial due to prior familiarity betwee