Lahandapurage Wijethunga v. Officer-in-Charge, Police Station, Kamburupitiya and The Attorney General – CA PHC 73/22-2025

This case involves an appeal filed by Lahandapurage Wijethunga (Registered Owner-Claimant-Petitioner-Appellant) against an order from the High Court of the Southern Province in Matara. The High Court had affirmed a Magistrate’s order (Matara Case No. 23459) which resulted in the confiscation of a tractor (No. 27-3068) and a trailer (SPGM 0977). The confiscation stemmed from an incident on July 8, 2009, where six individuals were apprehended for unlawfully transporting ten jackfruit logs, a violation of the Forest Ordinance. Following a trial, the Magistrate, on September 8, 2015, found the first and second accused guilty. The appeal seeks to challenge these prior orders.

B. Sasi Mahendran, J. – The judgment addresses an appeal lodged against a High Court order that affirmed a Magistrate