Susehewage Piyal Indrajith and Others vs. The Hon. Attorney General – CA HCC/0300-302/2018-2023

In the case between Susehewage Piyal Indrajith, Hitihamy Appuhamilage Prasad, and Athauda Arachchilage Sujith (Appellants) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed whether the appellants were deprived of a fair trial due to judicial misdirections, improper handling of evidence concerning witness intoxication, and the use of inadmissible statements during the non-jury trial at the High Court of Chilaw. It was determined that significant irregularities had vitiated the proceedings—most notably, the misdirection in evaluating contradictory testimony, incorrect reversal of the burden of proof, and improper reliance on non-admitted evidence. The findings established that these errors compromised the appellants’ right to a fair trial, and accordingly, the convictions and d