A. Ranjith vs The Hon. Attorney General – CA 113/2011-2013

In the case between A. Ranjith (Appellant) and The Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12 (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether a sentence of 14 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 25,000 for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, arising from the death of the appellant’s wife following a domestic altercation, was excessive in the circumstances. It was held that the sentence initially imposed was disproportionate given the absence of an intent to inflict fatal injury, the lack of use of a weapon, and the occurrence of the offence in the course of a sudden fight, reaffirming the principle that sentencing should be commensurate with both culpability and situational factors. Reference was made to established legal standar