Suriya Arachchige Ruwan Dhammika Gunawardena vs The Hon. Attorney General – CA HCC 0016/2021-2025

In the case of Suriya Arachchige Ruwan Dhammika Gunawardena (Appellant) v. The Attorney General (Respondent), the court considered an appeal against conviction for trafficking and possession of Heroin. Key issues involved the credibility of prosecution witnesses, establishment of an exclusive chain of custody for evidence, and alleged misdirection on law and evidence by the High Court Judge, which the defense argued denied a fair trial. The appeal was allowed, and the conviction and sentence were set aside.

P. Kumararatnam, J. delivered the judgment, detailing the Appellant’s indictment for trafficking and possession of Heroin, the conviction, and the subsequent appeal. The judgment analyzed grounds of appeal concerning witness credibility, chain of custody, and the High Court Judge’s c