Siriweera and Another vs. Officer-in-Charge, Special Crimes Division, Tangalle Police and Another – sllr 2019 volume 2 page 152

In Siriweera and Another v. Officer-in-Charge, Special Crimes Division, Tangalle Police and Another, the court addressed the issue of whether prosecution for charges under sections 454, 457, and 459 of the Penal Code and sections 115 and 456 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was time barred under section 456 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It was determined that the prosecution was initiated beyond the statutory period required, and therefore was time barred, emphasizing that the right to prosecute is limited to the time frame mandated by statute. This decision relied on statutory interpretation, substantive appellate case law, and constitutional principles, reaffirming that the timely institution of criminal proceedings is mandatory to ensure a fair trial as per Article 13(3) of the Co