Man charged with drug trafficking acquitted

due to contradictory evidence of police officers

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

Colombo High Court Judge yesterday acquitted an accused from the charges of trafficking and possession of 3.159 grams of heroin due to the serious contradictions of the evidence of the police officers led by the Prosecution, without calling the Defence evidence.  

A team of police officers attached to the organized Crimes Prevention Division of Colombo arrested the accused Swarnasiri Dias on December 20, 2018 for the possession and trafficking of 3.159 grams of heroin. The accused was indicted before the High Court by the Attorney General for the trafficking and possession of heroin in the Colombo High Court. In order to prove the Prosecution case, the Prosecution called IP Thushara Karunarathna and two other witnesses.  

All three prosecution witnesses contradicted each other during the cross examination by senior Counsel Darshana Kuruppu. Having the contradictions of the main three Prosecution’s witnesses, the High Court Judge Mahen Weeraman decided to acquit and discharge the accused from the charges without calling the Defence. Senior Counsel Darshana Kuruppu with Jayaba Kalupahana and Buddhika Thilakarathne appeared for the accused.