Marasinghe Mudiyanselage Pradeep Suranga Alias Banda Suduabe Janapadaya, Nalawalana Gonawila vs. Officer in Charge, Police Station, Pannala – CA BAL/10/21-2022

In the case between the Officer in Charge, Police Station, Pannala (supported by the Hon. Attorney General) and Marasinghe Mudiyanselage Pradeep Suranga Alias Banda, the court addressed the issue of whether bail should be granted to a suspect accused of threatening a witness in a murder trial under the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crimes and Witnesses Act No. 4 of 2015. The court held that the petitioner was entitled to bail under Section 10(1) of the Act due to the presence of “exceptional circumstances,” including protracted pre-indictment detention and absence of evidence linking the alleged threat to witness retaliation. The holding reaffirmed the principle that prolonged incarceration without clear evidence or progress in investigation can satisfy the statutory standard