Bilingahawatte Gedara Karunaratne Alias Raja and Others Vs Hon. Attorney General – CA HCC 104/2012-2020

In the case between Bilingahawatte Gedara Karunaratne Alias Raja (since deceased), Bilingahawatte Gedara Ariyaratne, and the Hon. Attorney General, the court addressed the validity of a murder conviction under section 296 of the Penal Code. The core legal issues involved challenges to the reliability of eyewitness identification in poor lighting, inconsistencies in witness statements, potential burden shifting to the accused regarding innocence, handling of section 27 evidence, and the consideration of potentially exculpatory evidence. The court held that the grounds of appeal were without merit and affirmed the conviction and sentence of the 2nd appellant. This decision reaffirmed the principle that convictions can stand where direct and credible evidence supports identification and guilt