Warnakulasuriya Lakshman Thisera alias Jayakody Don Lakshman Appuhamy vs Hon. Attorney General – CA 13/2015-2018

In Attorney General of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka v. Warnakulasuriya Lakshman Thisera alias Jayakody Don Lakshman Appuhamy, the court addressed whether the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the offence of Grave Sexual Abuse under Section 365B(2)(b) of the Penal Code. The appellant challenged the conviction on the grounds that the evidence was not properly evaluated and that there were material contradictions and omissions in the prosecution’s case. The court found that the complainant’s testimony was not sufficiently reliable due to inconsistent statements about the timing and nature of the offence, especially on the crucial issue of penetration. It was further observed that the prosecution did not meet the statutory burden to prove its case beyond reasonab