Singaru Sathyaseelan vs Hon. Attorney General – CA HCC 272/2023-2025

This case involves an appeal by Singaru Sathyaseelan (Accused-Appellant) against his conviction and sentence by the High Court of Vavuniya for the robbery and murder of Kanthiah Muttiah and Muttiah Parameshwari. The prosecution’s case relied entirely on circumstantial evidence, including a telephone call from the Accused to the deceased and the recovery of the deceased’s jewellery, some of which was removed by severing fingers, based on the Accused’s statement. The Accused appealed on grounds that the trial judge erred in applying Section 27 recovery principles, shifted the burden of proof, and that the circumstantial evidence was inadequate. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing the legal principles governing circumstantial evidence and Section 27 recoveries, found that the prosecution had