The Director General, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruptions v. Sarath Kulathunga and Mahadurage Nimal – CA CPA/53/2020-2021

In the case between The Director General, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruptions and Mahadurage Nimal, the court addressed whether the High Court erred in discharging the accused at the close of both prosecution and defense cases, instead of recording a verdict of acquittal or conviction as required under Section 203 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It was held that a discharge after the conclusion of a full trial is, in law, equivalent to an acquittal, reaffirming the principle that after full presentation of evidence, the trial court is mandated to deliver a formal verdict. The decision was grounded on statutory interpretation and precedential case law, underscoring the requirement for finality in criminal proceedings by entering a verdict of conviction or acqu