The State vs. Kanatta Hewage Jayamini – CA HCC/0170/2016-2022

In the case between Accused-Appellant Kanatta Hewage Jayamini and Complainant-Respondent The Hon. Attorney General of Sri Lanka, the court addressed whether the conviction for murder could be sustained given procedural and evidentiary deficiencies at trial. It was determined that the improper admission of a material witness’s prior deposition under Section 33 of the Evidence Ordinance, combined with contradictions in key prosecution testimony and inadequate judicial appraisal of circumstantial evidence, rendered the conviction unsafe. The holding reaffirmed that strict compliance with evidentiary rules and proper judicial evaluation of circumstantial evidence are critical to safeguarding fair trial rights. Reference was made to legislative standards relating to admissibility of testimony a