The Court of Appeal has acquitted a man who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Colombo High Court for possession and trafficking of 9.64 grams of heroin.
The Court of Appeal ruled that the evidence given by the narcotics officers at the trial against the accused could not be relied upon. Asanka Fernando alias Sanjeewa, a resident of Colombo 14 was released by the Court. The verdict was handed down by a panel of Court of Appeal judges comprising Priyantha Fernando and Sampath Abeykoon after hearing an appeal filed by the accused against the High Court verdict sentencing him. The accused said he was arrested in the morning and police took him to various locations and beat him. Evidence thus presented suggests that there was a question mark over the credibility of the testimony of key police officers who participated in the operation. Accordingly, the appellate court granted leave to appeal and acquitted the accused.
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