Sri Lankan Court of Appeal orders release of Maldivian sentenced to death in drug case
1 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރު 2026 | އަންގާރަ 06:46The Sri Lankan Court of Appeal has overturned a death sentence previously issued against a Maldivian national by a lower court in a narcotics case, citing significant contradictions in the prosecution's evidence and discrepancies regarding the weight of the seized substances. Ruling that the state had failed to provide sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction, the court ordered his immediate release.
Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka. | Google
The Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka has overturned the death sentence of Maldivian national Yugeeth Ibrahim and ordered his immediate release. The sentence had originally been handed down by the Negombo High Court.
In its ruling on the case, the High Court stated that the lower court's conviction of Yugeeth was not based on sufficient evidence and noted significant inconsistencies in the evidence presented by the prosecution.
According to the case details, records show that the 12 parcels seized from Yugeeth had an initial gross weight of 2,039.34 kilograms. However, upon forensic analysis by the government analyst, the actual quantity of the substance was found to be less than 17 grams.
State witnesses were unable to provide an adequate explanation regarding this significant discrepancy in weight.
Furthermore, the court noted that the absence of contemporaneous records at the time of seizure, combined with difficulties in identifying individuals through WhatsApp messages, raises serious doubts regarding the integrity of the chain of custody.
The High Court judge noted that inconsistencies in the testimonies of the primary police witnesses raised significant doubts as to whether the heroin presented in court could be linked to the accused. The judge ruled that court decisions must be based on solid evidence rather than mere speculation.
The judgment further noted that the lower court judge had created confusion in the implementation of the fundamental principles governing the adjudication of drug-related cases.
The appellate court stated that it does not believe a retrial would be sufficient to ensure justice in this case. This decision was based on the absence of WhatsApp messages to verify the identities of the accused and the appellant, as well as the fact that the defendant has remained in custody for over eight years since May 22, 2018, due to various reasons.
Consequently, the court ruled that reopening the case would be unjust.
The court ruling further emphasized that the presumption of innocence until proven guilty is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution. The judge also noted that in criminal cases, the burden of proof lies with the State to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, ruling that the prosecution had failed to meet this legal standard in this case.
Taking all these factors into consideration, the Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction and death sentence issued against Yuveeth Ibrahim by the Negombo High Court on September 6, 2025, ruling that he is acquitted and cleared of all charges in the case.
