Moonlight exonerates trio in 25-year drug case

In a stunning turn of events, three individuals who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for the possession of 10 kilograms of heroin were acquitted on May 11 in a re-trial at the Puttalam High Court.

The defense successfully challenged a crucial piece of evidence - the claim that the raid was conducted under moonlight.

The defence's argument centered on the absence of moonlight during the alleged incident, contradicting the Police's testimony. This revelation cast doubt on the prosecution's case and ultimately led to the acquittal of the accused.

The long-awaited resolution comes after a grueling legal battle spanning 25 years. The suspects were arrested on September 17, 1998, during a raid at Kalpitiya beach conducted by the Chilaw Police. After non-summary proceedings, they were committed to stand trial at the Puttalam High Court. On June 29, 2017, they were found guilty and handed life sentences.

However, a glimmer of hope emerged when an appeal granted a re-trial before Puttalam High Court Judge Nadee Aparna Suwandurugoda. The defence meticulously dismantled the prosecution's claim of moonlight during the raid, presenting evidence that contradicted this assertion.

It was revealed that there was no moonlight on the night in question, directly challenging the police's version of events.

Confronted with this contradictory evidence, Judge Suwandurugoda upheld the appeal and acquitted the accused. Asanka Samaraweera, legal counsel for the accused, played a pivotal role in securing the acquittal by skillfully exposing the flaws in the prosecution's case, particularly the erroneous claim of moonlight during the raid.