Abeyrathna Weerasekara Patabandige Lal Chandra alias Yuggaya Lal vs The Attorney General – CA/HCC/94-99/2022-2025

The court addressed the issue of whether the evidence was sufficient to prove the charges of murder and unlawful assembly beyond a reasonable doubt. It was determined that the conviction and sentence imposed on 30.06.2022 were set aside due to the presence of numerous contradictions and inconsistencies in the witness testimonies, which undermined the establishment of the necessary elements of criminal responsibility and the common intention required for an unlawful assembly. This decision relied on the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act and relevant precedents, emphasizing that a criminal case must be established beyond a reasonable doubt where the evidence is clear and consistent.

B. Sasi Mahendran, J.: It was determined that the inconsistencies in the evidence, including