Galle Hettiarachchige Anil Jayantha and others vs The Director General, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption – CA HCC 0018-019/2020-2025

In the matter of the Appellants (police officers) and the Prosecution, the court addressed the issue of bribery and abetment convictions. The court held that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, reaffirming the principle that the burden of proof rests entirely on the prosecution. This decision relied on the ‘Golden Thread’ principle from Woolmington v. DPP and precedents regarding witness credibility, emphasizing that significant contradictions in evidence and the failure to call essential witnesses undermine the prosecution’s case.

P. Kumararatnam, J. – The judgment detailed eight counts of indictment against the 1st and 2nd Appellants for bribery and abetment, and the High Court’s sentences. Grounds of appeal included the substantiation of charges giv