Tikiri Appuge Mahinda Jayaratne vs. The Attorney General – CA HCC/0336/2017-2022

In the case between Tikiri Appuge Mahinda Jayaratne (Accused-Appellant) and the Attorney General, Sri Lanka (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether a conviction and sentence for murder based on the sole testimony of a child eyewitness was sustainable, especially in light of alleged contradictions, lack of corroborating medical evidence, and the belated presentation of an alibi by the accused. It was held that the minor discrepancies in the eyewitness testimony were naturally explicable and did not affect its credibility or the prosecution’s case, reaffirming the principle that credible testimony of a single witness can suffice for conviction if found reliable. Reference was made to applicable legal precedents regarding witness reliability and procedural fairness, underscorin