The Court of Appeal today (11) ordered that Saruwa Liyanage alias ‘Saruwa Sunil,’ the ex Chairman of Akuressa Pradeshiya Sabha who was convicted for molesting a minor and sentenced to 15 years in prison, be acquitted from all charges.
Liyanage was accused of being a sex offender on a minor in 2012 and on January 17, 2020, the Colombo High Court declared that the ex Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman was guilty, sentencing him to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 25,000 and a compensation of Rs. 250,000.
In resentment to the High Court verdict, Liyanage petitioned for the Appeal Court claiming that the verdict was declared solely based on a video footage submitted to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) by the aggrieved girl. The convict demanded that he be acquitted in the event that the plaintiff failed to produce any other evidence substantiating the allegations raised through the video footage.
Declaring the verdict today, the Court of Appeal Bench comprising Justices P. Kumaran Ratnam and Sampath Abeykoon pronounced that Liyanage was acquitted and all charges against him were dropped.
MIAP
