Wellupilain Thyagaraja alias Shivaraja Vs. Hon. Attorney General – CA 165/2018-2024

In the case between The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and Wellupilain Thyagaraja alias Shivaraja (2nd accused-appellant), the court addressed the evaluation of evidence and witness credibility in a murder conviction. It was held that inconsistencies and contradictions in the testimonies of key prosecution witnesses, particularly PW-3 and PW-11, undermined the prosecution’s case, and the conviction could not be sustained. The decision reaffirmed the principle that in criminal proceedings, the prosecution must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt and that erroneous evaluation of crucial witness evidence requires appellate intervention. This outcome relied on established evidentiary standards, emphasizing that convictions based on unreliable or contradictory evidence cannot