Welipiti Gamaralalage Somasiri vs Hon. Attorney General – CA 90/2005-2012

The case between Welipiti Gamaralalage Somasiri (Accused Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent) addressed issues surrounding the conviction and sentence for murder under section 296, read with section 32, of the Penal Code. It was held that the conviction and sentence were justifiable, with the appellate court affirming that the trial had been conducted fairly and the evidential requirements for conviction properly satisfied. The principle reaffirmed is that failure to prove motive or call every listed prosecution witness does not invalidate a conviction where credible evidence establishes guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Reliance was placed on precedent negating the necessity of motive and emphasizing appellate deference to trial court findings of fact, highlighting that a fa