Ekanakaka Mudiyanselage Samaraweera Ekanayka vs. Hon. Attorney General – CA 203/2013-2015

In the case between Ekanakaka Mudiyanselage Samaraweera Ekanayka and the Hon. Attorney General, the court addressed the issue of whether a conviction and sentence for kidnapping, rape, and murder, based exclusively on circumstantial evidence, could be sustained. The holding confirmed that the cumulative circumstantial evidence—including witness identification, DNA results, the accused’s inconsistent statements, and the last seen theory—was adequate to support the conviction. The principle reaffirmed is that circumstantial evidence may suffice to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt when all links in the evidential chain are cogently established. This decision relied on the standards articulated in relevant Sri Lankan and Commonwealth authorities regarding the assessment of circumstantia