Ranasinghe Arachchige Don Subashini vs The Hon. Attorney General – CA HCC/0044/2022-2023

In the case between Ranasinghe Arachchige Don Subashini (Accused-Appellant) and the Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed the sufficiency and integrity of the prosecution’s evidence relating to trafficking and possession of heroin, particularly the maintenance of an unbroken chain of custody. The appellate review determined that discrepancies in the handling and documentation of production evidence undermined the standard of proof required in criminal cases. The conviction and sentence from the High Court were set aside, and the Appellant was acquitted, reaffirming the principle that an unbroken chain of custody is essential for sustaining a conviction in drug-related offenses. Reliance was placed on established case law requiring proof beyond reasonable doubt and complete evi