Mohamed Rafaideen Mahomed Irfan vs Hon. Attorney General – CA HCC 186/23-2025

In the case between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Hon. Attorney General) and Mohamed Rafaideen Mahomed Irfan, the court addressed the issue of whether the conviction and sentence of life imprisonment imposed by the High Court of Colombo for trafficking and possession of 480.92 grams of heroin were justified under the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. The holding affirmed the conviction, finding that inconsistencies in the testimony of prosecution witnesses did not materially affect the core facts of the case. The established principle reaffirmed was that only material contradictions undermine the reliability of evidence. Reference was made to relevant precedents supporting this view, with the court emphasizing that minor discrepancies are common and do not war