Tikiriwanni Unnehelage Dhanapala vs. Forest Range Officer – CA PHC 27/2021-2023

In the case between Tikiriwanni Unnehelage Dhanapala (appellant, registered owner of the vehicle) and the Forest Range Officer with The Attorney General (respondents), the court addressed the issue of vehicle confiscation under the Forest Ordinance when the registered owner allegedly failed to prevent its use in the illegal transportation of timber. The court held that the appellant’s actions and precautions taken regarding the use of his vehicle did not warrant confiscation, setting aside earlier decisions by the Magistrate and High Court. This reaffirmed the principle that assessment of “all precautions” under the Forest Ordinance requires a fact-sensitive evaluation rather than a rigid test of absolute prevention. The decision relied on statutory interpretation and established case law,