Liyanapathiranage Ariyadasa alias Gadin Bale vs Hon. Attorney General – CA 260-269/2018-2025

In the case between the Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12 (Respondent) and the 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 19th, and 20th accused-appellants (Appellants), the court addressed issues of the evaluation and admissibility of evidence, particularly concerning witness depositions and re-examination during a criminal trial following an unlawful assembly incident on 18.02.1998. Convictions were challenged on the grounds of alleged errors in the handling and assessment of evidence, leading to concerns over wrongful convictions. The court held that substantive procedural flaws and improper evaluation of key testimonies required the prior convictions to be set aside, reaffirming the principle that rigorous and fair assessment of all relevant evidence is