The Public Trustee v. Ratnayahe Banda – sllr 2000 volume 1 page 099

In the case between The Public Trustee and Ratnayake Banda, the court addressed whether the explanation provided by the respondent regarding significant discrepancies in reported coconut crop figures was acceptable in the context of an industrial dispute over alleged wrongful termination. It was held that the explanation offered—namely, that additional fallen coconuts accounted for the inflated figures—was not substantiated by the evidence. Both the Labour Tribunal and High Court were found to have erred in accepting this explanation without adequate scrutiny. The orders reinstating the respondent were set aside, and the appeal was allowed with costs. The decision reaffirmed the principle that evidentiary inconsistencies must be assessed critically, especially in industrial matters involvi