Sumanasiri v. Attorney General – sllr 1999 volume 1 page 309

In the case between Sumanasiri (Plaintiff) and the Attorney-General (Defendant), the court addressed whether the death resulting from a cranio-cerebral injury inflicted by a heavy wedge hammer met the standard for murder under clause 3 of section 294 of the Penal Code. The court held that the injury, being both an operating and substantial cause of death, satisfied the requisite legal criteria for murder, and determined that the appellant’s conviction was appropriate. The principle reaffirmed is that when evidence establishes the accused’s act as the substantial cause of death and a high probability of death arises, conviction for murder is warranted, notwithstanding subsequent events such as surgical intervention. Reliance was placed on established statutory law and relevant judicial prec