Meragal Pedige Senarathne Vs Hon. Attorney General – CA-HCC 11/14-2023

In Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka v. Meragal Pedige Senarathne, with the Hon. Attorney General as respondent, the court addressed whether the prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that the Accused fraudulently used a forged document under Section 459 of the Penal Code. The court found that critical evidentiary lapses—including insufficient authentication of the contested document, unresolved signature discrepancies, and absence of key witness corroboration—failed to satisfy the requisite criminal standard. The appellate review relied on relevant legal authorities and precedents, highlighting that the burden of proof remained on the prosecution and errors in its allocation or evidentiary assessment warranted reversal. The conviction was set aside and the Accused was ac