Naththandige Densyl Nilantha vs The Hon. Attorney General – CA-HCC-134/2024-2025

In Naththandige Densyl Nilantha vs The Hon. Attorney General, the issue concerned the credibility and consistency of witness testimony in a prosecution for grave sexual abuse of a minor. It was held that discrepancies and reporting delays did not materially undermine the conviction, provided the overall evidence remained reliable. The principle reaffirmed is that evidentiary inconsistencies must be significant to warrant appellate intervention, especially when supported by medical and forensic corroboration. Precedents addressing the impact of delayed complaints and witness memory were cited, with the court emphasizing that unsubstantiated discrepancies do not automatically invalidate a verdict supported by substantial evidence.

B. Sasi Mahendran, J. — A detailed examination of witness