M. Don Hemantha Kumara Perera vs Hon. Attorney General – CA 98/2010-2014

In the case between M. Don Hemantha Kumara Perera (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the validity of a conviction for murder and the imposition of the death sentence, focusing on evidentiary and procedural deficiencies. The ruling determined that the conviction was unsustainable due to significant inconsistencies in prosecution evidence, concerns regarding the voluntariness and admissibility of the accused’s confession, flaws in voir dire, and improper reliance on legal dicta regarding the burden of proof. The principle reaffirmed was that a strong prima facie case must precede any onus on the accused to establish innocence, and procedural safeguards must rigorously govern the admissibility of confessions. Reliance was placed on legal author