Kankanamge Sujith Siriwardena v. The Officer-in-Charge Anti-Corruption Unit, Police Station, Matara – CA PHC/33/2021-2022

In the case between Kankanamge Sujith Siriwardena (Appellant) and the Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Corruption Unit, Police Station Matara, and Attorney General’s Department (Respondents), the court addressed the issue of whether the appellant, as the registered owner of a confiscated vehicle, satisfied the statutory requirements under Section 3A of the Animals Act to justify the vehicle’s release. It was held that the appellant failed to discharge the burden of proving he either took all necessary precautions to prevent unlawful use of the vehicle or was unaware of its misuse. The legal principle reaffirmed was that strict compliance with both limbs of Section 3A is required for an owner to obtain relief from confiscation. This decision relied upon relevant precedents underscoring that the burd