Epa Kankanamge Chandrea Kanthi Kanka Muduna Vs. The Hon. Attorney General – CA PHC APN 39/2017-2017

In the case between Epa Kankanamlage Chandrea Kanthi Kanka Muduna (Claimant-Petitioner) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent-Respondent), the court addressed whether the owner of a vehicle confiscated due to its use in trafficking ganja satisfied the legal requirements to prevent such confiscation by proving both lack of knowledge of the unlawful use and having taken all feasible precautions. It was held that the Claimant-Petitioner failed to discharge this burden, as the evidence did not establish sufficient proactive measures to prevent the offence or a credible lack of knowledge. The principle reaffirmed was that vehicle owners must, on a balance of probabilities, demonstrate absence of knowledge and show all reasonable precautions were taken, consistent with established precedent.