Hon. Attorney General vs Matara Kulasooriyage Vijith Premalal et al. – 171-174/2018-2022

In the case between the Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12 (Complainant-Respondent) and Matara Kulasooriyage Vijith Premalal, Korala Arachchige Priyangika Shyamali, Muththettuwage Chaminda Perera alias Lokka, Keragala Arachchige Suranjith Wasana Priyadarshana Perera alias Manju (Accused-Appellants), the court addressed whether the accused-appellants could be held guilty of murder under Section 296 of the Penal Code and for causing hurt under Section 315. It was determined that the circumstantial evidence presented did not satisfy the requirement of proof beyond reasonable doubt for the murder conviction, as there were deficiencies in establishing the deceased’s identity and the cause of death, as well as evidentiary gaps linking the accused to the alleged crim