Thelge Arachchilage Dayaratne vs. Hon. Attorney General – CA WRIT/278/2013-2018

In the case between Thelge Arachchilage Dayaratne (Petitioner) and Hon. Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the prosecution had established all elements of the robbery charge, particularly in relation to the identification of the weapon allegedly used. It was held that the available evidence, including the credible testimony of witnesses and the apprehension of the accused in possession of an automatic weapon and the stolen items, was sufficient to sustain the conviction and sentence imposed by the High Court. The reasoning reaffirmed the principle that technical identification of the weapon, such as by serial number, is not required unless specifically challenged. This decision relied on the provisions of the Firearms Act and relevant case law, emphasiz