Warnakulasooriya Sumith Fernando vs. The Attorney General – CA REVISION APPLICATION NO: 757/2004-2023

In the case between Warnakulasooriya Sumith Fernando (1st accused-petitioner) and the Attorney General, the court addressed the issue of whether the revision application challenging the High Court of Kurunegala’s sentencing order—specifically seeking to convert imposed fines to state costs and vary suspended imprisonment—was maintainable on exceptional grounds. It was held that the petitioner failed to establish sufficient grounds to justify intervention under revisionary jurisdiction. The principle reaffirmed is that sentencing discretion, when lawfully and judiciously exercised by the trial court after consideration of all relevant mitigating and aggravating factors, will not be disturbed absent compelling and exceptional circumstances. The decision relied on constitutional and sentencin