Warnakulasuriya Mudiyanselage Jayantha Warnasuriya vs. Hon. Attorney – General – CA/HCC/0169/2022-2024

In the case between Warnakulasuriya Mudiyanselage Jayantha Warnasuriya (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney-General (Complainant-Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the sentence imposed for grave sexual abuse of a minor, which exceeded the statutory minimum, should be varied based on statutory provisions, judicial discretion, and mitigating circumstances. It was determined that while the law mandates a minimum sentence, judicial discretion exists to deviate from this minimum for adequate reasons. The sentence was therefore reduced from ten years to seven years rigorous imprisonment, with no change to the imposed fine, compensation, or default terms, reaffirming the principle that departures from minimum mandatory sentences must be accompanied by explicit, recorded re