Weerasinghe Arachchige Dona Ariyasena v. Hon. Attorney-General – CA NO.58/2009-2012

In the case between Weerasinghe Arachchige Dona Ariyasena (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney-General (Respondent), the court addressed the legal validity of a murder conviction based exclusively on the identification evidence of a single child witness. It was determined that the conviction and sentence could not be sustained due to significant concerns regarding the quality and reliability of the identification evidence. The decision reaffirmed the legal principle that identification evidence, particularly from a single witness and especially a child, must be rigorously assessed by a trial judge in accordance with established legal guidelines, including the Turnbull Warning. Reliance was placed on established case law underscoring the need for caution in evaluating such evidence, an