IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA In the matter of an Appeal made under Section 331 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No.15 of 1979.

Court of Appeal Case No:

CA/HCC /0264/2017 High Court of Panadura Case No. HC/3368/2016 Kodithuwakku Arachchige Premila Saranga alias Henegama Rathnasiri ACCUSED-APPELLANT vs.

The Hon. Attorney General Attorney General’s Department Colombo-12 COMPLAINANT-RESPONDENT BEFORE : Sampath B. Abayakoon, J.

P. Kumararatnam, J.

COUNSEL : Neranjan Jayasinghe with Harshana Ananda and P.D.K. Katugampola for the Appellant Janaka Bandara SSC for the Respondent. ARGUED ON : 08/02/2022 DECIDED ON : 22/03/2022 ***************************

JUDGMENT

P. Kumararatnam, J.

The above-named Accused-Appellant (hereinafter referred to as the Appellant) was indicted in the High Court of Panadura under Section 296 of the Penal Code for committing the murder of Dona Sunethra Priyadharshani Kodikara on or about 25^th May 2010.

The trial commenced before the High Court Judge of Panadura as the Appellant had opted for a non-jury trial. After the conclusion of the prosecution case, the learned High Court Judge had called for the defence and the Appellant