Ananda v. Attorney General – sllr 1995 volume 2 page 315

In the case of ANANDA (Appellant) versus ATTORNEY-GENERAL, the court addressed whether an excessive delay exceeding eighteen years in the disposal of a criminal matter constitutes a mitigating factor in sentencing, and the application of section 328(b)(ii) of the Criminal Procedure Code to alter sentence terms considering both the delay and evidence of reformation by the appellant. The court held that an inordinate delay in concluding criminal proceedings, especially when not substantially caused by the appellant, must be considered in mitigation of sentence. The case reaffirmed the principle that an accused is entitled to a trial within a reasonable time, referencing relevant precedents such as Karunaratne v. State. Sentencing was consequently varied to impose a term of ten months rigorou