Thammita Arachchige Wasantha Sarath Siriwardene vs. Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and the Director General – CA HCC/0312/2018-2022

In the case between Thammita Arachchige Wasantha Sarath Siriwardene (Accused-Appellant) and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and the Director General, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (Complainant-Respondents), the court addressed whether a miscarriage of justice occurred due to the High Court’s treatment of alibi evidence, the sufficiency of the prosecution’s case, and procedural concerns regarding witness testimony and possible mala fides. It was held that the High Court trial judge misapplied the law by improperly placing the burden of proof regarding the alibi on the accused, and that the prosecution did not prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. This outcome reaffirmed the core principle that, in criminal proceedings, th