Rajapakse Aratchige Thushara Ranjan Rajapakse Vs. Hon. Attorney General – CA PHC REV. BAIL 54/2017-2018

The case between Rajapakse Aratchige Thushara Ranjan Rajapakse (Accused-Appellant-Petitioner) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent) addressed the issue of whether bail pending appeal should be granted via revision application upon a conviction for robbery under Section 380 read with 32 of the Penal Code. It was held that the circumstances advanced by the petitioner did not amount to “exceptional circumstances” as required for the grant of bail pending appeal under the Criminal Procedure Act No. 15 of 1979. The principle reaffirmed is that exceptional circumstances sufficient to deviate from the general prohibition on bail after conviction must be clearly demonstrated, and that alleged family health issues and status as a first offender, in this context, were not sufficient. This decis