Kadirage Guneratne Vs Hon. Attorney General – CA 01/2001-2012

In the case between Kadirage Guneratne (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the conviction and death sentence for the alleged murder of Yakdessage Seetha were supported by sufficient and credible evidence. The court held that the conviction based solely on circumstantial evidence, without direct proof and amidst unresolved inconsistencies in expert and forensic testimony, was not sustainable. It was reaffirmed that convictions relying on circumstantial evidence must exclude any reasonable doubt regarding the accused’s guilt. This decision relied on legal authorities governing circumstantial evidence and the presumption of innocence, emphasizing that critical gaps or ambiguous evidence must be resolved in favor of the accus