Sivakumar vs. Attorney General – sllr 2020 volume 1 page 070

In Sivakumar (Accused-Appellant) vs. Attorney General, the court addressed whether the evidence presented—particularly witness identifications and the accused’s own testimony—was sufficient to sustain convictions for murder and robbery. The evaluation focused on whether the trial judge had fulfilled the obligation to accept or reject the accused’s evidence and properly considered discrepancies in identification. The court held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, setting aside previous appellate and trial convictions and ordering an acquittal. Established legal principles from Ariyadasa v. Queen, Martin Singho v. Queen, and Queen v. Kularatne were reaffirmed, underscoring the necessity for trial judges to expressly rule on the credibility of an accu