M.R. Susil Hemantha Vs. Hon Attorney General. – CA HC/230/2016-2017

In the case between M.R. Susil Hemantha (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the ten-year sentence of rigorous imprisonment for possession of a hand grenade under Section 2(1)(b) of the Offensive Weapons Act No.18 of 1966 was excessive, particularly in view of mitigating factors related to the accused-appellant’s age and personal circumstances. The court found that the trial judge’s imposition of the maximum sentence failed to properly weigh such mitigation and that a lower sentence was warranted. Accordingly, the original ten-year sentence was set aside and substituted with a term of five years’ rigorous imprisonment, effective from the date of conviction, with the fine and default sentence left unchanged. The decision rea