Don Simon Siganeththi vs Director General, Commission for Investigation into Bribery and Corruption – CA 197/2008-2014

In the case between Don Simon Siganeththi (Accused-Appellant) and the Director General, Commission for Investigation into Bribery and Corruption (Complainant-Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the accused, in his capacity as Registrar of the District Court of Monaragala, solicited and accepted bribes in violation of Sections 19(b) and 19(c) of the Bribery Act. It was held that material inconsistencies in the prosecution’s evidence, absence of corroborative testimony, and unexplained delay in lodging the complaint rendered the conviction unsafe. The court reaffirmed the principle that criminal convictions require proof beyond reasonable doubt and due regard for legal safeguards, referencing the legal requirement for corroboration under Section 79 of the Bribery Act. This