Dissanayake Appuhamilage Amarasiri Dissanayake v. Hon. Attorney General – SC APPEAL 232/14-2017

In the case between The Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12 (Complainant/Respondent) and Dissanayake Appuhamilage Amarasiri Dissanayake (Accused/Appellant), the court addressed whether the circumstantial evidence adduced against the accused was sufficient to sustain a conviction for murder. It was held that the cumulative circumstantial evidence, including the accused’s conduct, recovery of incriminating items at the crime scene, and the limited explanation provided by the accused, justified affirming the convictions by the High Court and Court of Appeal. The principle reaffirmed is that an accused’s failure to offer an explanation for strong prima facie circumstantial evidence may reinforce an inference of guilt, aligning with existing case law on circumstanti