Palamura Hewage Harishchandra Kumarasinghe vs Hon. Attorney general – CA HCC 0070/2023-2025

In the case between the State (represented by the Attorney General) and Palamura Hewage Harishchandra Kumarasinghe, the court addressed the issue of whether the evidence established an intentional act of murder or supported a defense based on sudden fight or self-defence under Exception 4 to Section 294 of the Penal Code. It was held that the evidence, including eyewitness testimonies and medical findings, demonstrated premeditation and intentionality on the part of the accused, invalidating the contention of a sudden fight. The principle reaffirmed that self-defence or sudden fight exceptions cannot be invoked where premeditation and deliberate actions are established by the evidence. Reliance was placed on eyewitness accounts, forensic medical evidence, and the sequence of the accused’s