People v. Juwana Hannedige Lal et al. – CA NO. 05-09/2016-2016

Brief
In the case between the Hon. Attorney General (Complainant-Respondent) and Rathubaduge Wilson alias Wilson Bas and others (Accused-Appellants), the court addressed the issue of whether the identification of the accused-appellants, primarily based on voice recognition by prosecution witnesses, was sufficiently reliable to sustain convictions for abduction and murder. It was held that in circumstances where witness identification rested almost exclusively on voice recognition, unsupported by adequate corroboration or details establishing familiarity and reliability, the convictions could not be sustained. The principle reaffirmed was that identification evidence must be credible and cogent, especially when the accused’s faces were concealed and the initial identification was delayed. R