Wickremasinghe and Others v. The Goodwill Marine Acadamy (Private) Ltd. – sllr 2001 volume 2 page 284

In Wickremasinghe and others (Plaintiff-Respondent) v. The Goodwill Marine Academy (Private) Ltd (Defendant), the court addressed the issue of whether an unstamped surety bond (Bond X2) was admissible in evidence under the Stamp Duty Act No. 43 of 1982, focusing on the requirements of sections 5(5), 24, 33(1), and 69. It was held that a surety bond not duly stamped could not be admitted in evidence unless the statutory requirements for payment of duty and penalties had been satisfied. This holding reaffirmed the principle that proper compliance with stamp duty provisions is mandatory for the admissibility of such documents. The decision relied on a strict interpretation of the Stamp Duty Act, emphasizing the legal obligation on parties to ensure all statutory formalities are duly completed