Ranasinghe Hewage Chandraprema alias Chandrasoma vs Hon. Attorney General – CA HCC/79/2021-2023

In the case between Ranasinghe Hewage Chandraprema alias Chandrasoma (Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the prosecution’s evidence—particularly the reliability of an unsignatured victim statement and inconsistent accounts regarding the incident—was sufficient to sustain a conviction for grave sexual abuse. It was held that the evidentiary irregularities and contradictions failed to establish the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, necessitating the setting aside of the conviction and sentence. This decision reaffirmed the principle that the prosecution bears the burden to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, especially in the face of material inconsistencies. The judgment emphasized the importanc