P. L. Ishan Maduranga vs. The Hon. Attorney General – HC/33/2014-2024

In the case between The Hon. Attorney General and P. L. Ishan Maduranga, the court addressed the propriety of a conviction for attempted murder under section 300 of the Penal Code based on the appellant’s conduct of stabbing a bystander and causing grievous injuries. The court held that the conviction and sentence were justified, with the evidentiary record—comprising victim testimony and medico-legal documentation—supporting the finding of intent necessary to uphold the attempted murder charge. It was determined that the distinction between sections 300 (attempted murder) and 301 (culpable homicide) necessitated a conviction under the former, emphasizing the principle that intentional acts with a likelihood of causing death warrant serious penal consequences. The decision reinforced judic