Vinayagamoorthy Karunakaran Vs. The Hon. Attorney General – HCC 207/20-2023

In the case between the Hon. Attorney General (representing the State) and Vinayagamoorthy Karunakaran (Accused-Appellant), the court examined whether the evidence, particularly the testimony of a minor (PW1) and corroborative witness accounts, satisfied the standard of reliability required for a conviction on grave sexual abuse. The sequence of events involved the conviction of the Accused-Appellant at trial, with the defense challenging the judgment based on alleged inconsistencies and delay in witness testimony. On appeal, it was held that minor inconsistencies inherent in the testimony of a traumatized child witness did not undermine the credibility of the overall prosecution case. The findings established that the conviction was supported beyond a reasonable doubt based on the totalit