Wanniarachchige Chaminda Dharsana Fonseka v. The Director-General Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption – CA HCC/0146/2018-2018

In the case between Wanniarachchige Chaminda Dharsana Fonseka (Accused-Appellant) and the Director-General, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (Complainant-Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the Appellant, a police officer, solicited and accepted gratification in contravention of the Bribery Act. It was held that the prosecution had established guilt beyond reasonable doubt on the relevant counts, leading to the affirmation of conviction and sentence. The case reaffirmed the principle that in criminal proceedings, the prosecution must prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and that testimonial inconsistencies must be assessed within the context of materiality and overall credibility. Reliance was placed on precedents such as Woolmington v. DPP