Siwanu Punyyarajah v Hon. Attorney General – HC413/2017-2021

In the case between the Hon. Attorney General’s Department (Attorney General) and Siwanu Punyyarajah, the court addressed the issue of whether the sentence imposed under Section 364(1) of the Penal Code should be varied. The court held that, while the conviction was not contested, the sentence of ten years rigorous imprisonment should be reduced to seven years, with all other aspects of the sentence remaining unaltered. This determination reaffirmed the principle that appellate intervention is available where sentencing discretion by the High Court requires adjustment, based on the submissions and mitigating circumstances presented. The decision relied on the Penal Code and standards governing appellate review of sentence, emphasizing the court’s authority to vary sentences where appropria