Denagama Witharanage Punyadasa alias Ananda Gamage vs The Attorney General – CA HCC/0354/18-2022

In the case between Denagama Witharanage Punyadasa alias Ananda Gamage (Accused-Appellant) and the Attorney General on behalf of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Respondent), the court addressed the sufficiency of evidence required to uphold a conviction for grave sexual abuse of a minor, particularly focusing on whether corroboration of the victim’s evidence was necessary, the evaluation of alleged contradictions in witness testimony, and the impact of alleged malice or procedural irregularity on the fairness of the trial. It was held that a conviction for grave sexual abuse can be sustained on the credible and trustworthy testimony of the victim alone, without mandatory corroboration, reaffirming the principle that corroboration in sexual offences is a rule of prudence and