Hettiarachchige Haputhanthrige Kulawathi vs. The Attorney General – CA HCC/0068/22-2023

In the case between Hettiarachchige Haputhanthrige Kulawathi (Accused-Appellant) and the Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the sufficiency of evidence in establishing possession of 2.31 grams of heroin, considering discrepancies in witness testimony and the chain of custody. It was held that minor inconsistencies in prosecution evidence did not diminish the credibility of the core facts, and the appellant’s conviction for possession was affirmed alongside the life sentence. The decision reaffirmed the principle that proof beyond reasonable doubt does not require absolute consistency in every detail, relying on established judicial standards for evaluating the reliability of witness testimony and the handling of physical evidence. The ruling emphasizes that material discrep