Jayasinghe Arachchige Karunarathna vs The Attorney General – CA HCC 92/2023-2025

In the case between Jayasinghe Arachchige Karunarathna and The Attorney General, the court addressed the issue of the sufficiency of evidence and procedural regularity concerning the conviction and sentencing for grave sexual abuse of a minor. It was held that the prosecution had established the main elements of the offence beyond reasonable doubt and that no procedural error during cross-examination affected the fairness of the trial. This holding emphasized adherence to legal principles under the Evidence Ordinance, with particular reference to Section 145, and reaffirmed that minor inconsistencies in witness statements do not necessarily undermine the prosecution’s case when the overall evidence is credible. The decision reinforced the necessity for appellate courts to defer to trial fi