Karalainge Prematilaka and Maddumage Gardiyes vs. The Attorney-General – CA 14-15/2003-2013

In the case between Karalainge Prematilaka and Maddumage Gardiyes (Accused-Appellants) and the Attorney-General (Respondent), the court addressed the propriety of the identification parade and the validity of the resulting convictions for the murders of Maryhamy and Champika Surangani. It was held that the identification procedure did not suffer from substantial irregularity and that the convictions were supported by credible evidence from the crime witnesses. The principle reaffirmed was that identification parades, while subject to procedural safeguards, are not invalidated solely by physical characteristics unless substantive prejudice is demonstrated. Reliance was placed on the precedents of Perera v. State and Attorney-General v. Joseph Alloysius, with emphasis that flexibility in ide