Modarage Raneesha v. The Honorable Attorney General – CA HCC/295/2013-2022

In the case between The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka/The Honourable Attorney General and Modarage Raneesha, the court addressed the issue of whether the accused was in possession of 5.4 grams of heroin, as charged under Section 54 of the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. It was held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt due to inconsistencies and procedural irregularities, particularly regarding the conduct of police officers and the handling of evidence. The judgment reaffirmed the legal principle that, especially in capital cases, the prosecution’s evidence must be satisfactory and free from reasonable doubt. Reliance was placed on relevant statutes and case law emphasizing the necessity for a fair trial in cases involving serio