Sunil v. Attorney General – sllr 1999 volume 3 page 191

In the case between Sunil (Plaintiff) and Attorney-General (Defendant), the Court of Appeal considered whether, in bribery prosecutions, a trial judge may convict based solely on the uncorroborated testimony of a single prosecution witness if that evidence is deemed cogent and trustworthy. It was determined that such convictions are permissible where the witness’s testimony inspires confidence, even in the presence of minor contradictions or discrepancies. The appellate judgment re-examined the necessity of corroboration, citing established precedents including Attorney-General v. Gunasekera, Attorney-General v. Visvalingam, and State of Uttar Pradesh v. Anthony, and emphasized the discretion afforded to trial judges in weighing testimonial evidence. The sentence imposed on the accused was