Rajapaksha Gedara Mahindaratne Vs The Director General, Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery or Corruption & The Attorney General – HCC 210/18-2021

In the case between the Director General, Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery or Corruption and Rajapaksha Gedara Mahindaratne, the court addressed whether the conviction and sentence for bribery offenses under the Bribery Act were sustainable on the evidence presented. It was held that the conviction was unsafe and could not be upheld due to material discrepancies and contradictions in the prosecution’s evidence, including inconsistencies regarding the identity of participants, key factual dates, and the chain of events. The principle reaffirmed was that courts must rigorously evaluate the credibility and reliability of witness testimony and provide clear, reasoned analysis, especially where critical inconsistencies are identified. Reliance was placed on established standards