Thelge Nadeeka Kaumadi Peiris vs. Bribery Commissioner – CA HCC 280/17-2021

In Bribery Commissioner, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption v. Thelge Nadeeka Kaumadi Peiris, the court considered whether the accused, a school principal, solicited a bribe from a parent for a child’s school admission, alleged under Sections 19(b) and 19(c) of the Bribery Act. The central issue involved the sufficiency and corroboration of prosecution evidence, especially the reliance on the sole testimony of the complainant, amid contradictions and alleged procedural irregularities. Upon review, it was determined that the prosecution failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt, due to inconsistencies among witnesses, lack of corroboration, and unanswered factual questions. The conviction was therefore set aside, reaffirming the principle that uncorrobora