H. Nihal and H. Ajith Rohana vs Hon. Attorney General – CA HC/17-18/2012-2017

In the case between H. Nihal and H. Ajith Rohana (appellants) and the Hon. Attorney General (respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the conviction and sentence for murder under section 296 of the Penal Code read with section 32 against the 2nd accused-appellant were justified based on the sufficiency of evidence. It was held that a conviction based solely on presence at the scene, without direct or supporting evidence of participation, was inadequate. The principle reaffirmed was that criminal conviction must be based on reliable and substantive evidence directly connecting the accused to the crime. This determination referenced the necessity for direct or circumstantial evidence beyond mere presence for sustaining a charge of murder, emphasizing that appellate intervention