Lakshman Ananda Wijemanne v Officer-in-Charge, Special Crime Investigation Bureau, Police Superintendent Officer, Kuliyapitiya – CA PHC 147/2016-2022

In the case between Lakshman Ananda Wijemanne (appellant/5th accused) and the Officer-in-Charge, Special Crime Investigation Bureau, Police Superintendent, Kuliyapitiya, and the Hon. Attorney General (respondents), the court addressed whether the appellant was lawfully added as an accused in criminal proceedings relating to an alleged fraudulent land sale. It was held that the appellant was joined as an accused without sufficient investigative material or due process, with no evidence on record directly implicating the appellant beyond an administrative role. The court reaffirmed the principle that an accused is entitled to proper investigation and procedural fairness before being charged, relying on established legal precedents and statutory protections. The High Court’s order upholding t