K. A. Shantha Udayalal vs The Hon. Attorney General – SC SPL. LA. NO. 57/2017-2017

Brief
In the case between K. A. Shantha Udayalal (Accused-Appellant-Petitioner) and the Hon. Attorney General and the Attorney General’s Department (Respondents), the court addressed the issue of whether a trial judge is permitted to rely on police statements, inquest evidence, and non-summary evidence that had not been properly admitted at trial. It was determined that the reliance on such improperly admitted evidence was irregular and unlawful. The holding set aside the prior decisions of the Court of Appeal and the High Court and ordered a re-trial with directions for expeditious proceedings. The decision reaffirmed the principle that only evidence properly admitted at trial can be used in judicial determinations, relying on established precedents, and underscored the necessity for stri