Pradeep Chamara Bandaranaike v The Hon. Attorney General and Others – CA PHC 13/2021-2021

In the case between Pradeep Chamara Bandaranaike (Appellant, registered owner) and the Hon. Attorney General, Officer-in-Charge, Police Station Poddala, and Kariyawasam Manaage Vishan Madusha (Respondents), the court addressed the issue of whether a vehicle confiscation order, imposed under the Animal’s Act following a conviction related to unauthorized transportation of livestock, was properly ordered in accordance with Section 3A of the Act. It was determined that both the Magistrate and High Court had erred by considering only whether the registered owner had implemented precautionary measures, without evaluating the alternative statutory defence—namely, whether the owner lacked knowledge of the offence. The holding established that either limb of Section 3A would suffice to prevent con