Alagiyawanna Mohotti Appuhamilage Sujith Tharanga v. Hon. Attorney General – CA HCC/0075/2019-2022

In the case between The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (represented by the Hon. Attorney General) and Alagiyawanna Mohotti Appuhamilage Sujith Tharanga, the court addressed the issue of whether the conviction of the accused-appellant for possession of a hand bomb under Section 2(1) of the Offensive Weapons Act No. 18 of 1966, as tried in the High Court of Anuradhapura, was proper. The court held that significant deficiencies existed in the original trial, particularly in the evaluation of defence evidence, credibility assessments, and the potential for animosity and police bias. It was emphasized that the presumption of innocence and the requirement to consider all evidence impartially are fundamental. Relying on relevant statutory provisions and precedents such as James Silva