BOOK REVIEW
important aspects of criminal justice including the ingredients of a crime, criminal procedure and evidence in the form of a drama. The author has competently used landmark cases such as the Justice Sarath Ambepitiya murder case to illustrate the points he makes. In doing so he has given the book the appearance of a script of a drama in such a way that the reader does not feel that he is reading a law book.
The book is divided into 26 sections with titles such as ‘criminal law’, ‘evidence’, ‘circumstantial evidence’, ‘expert evidence’, ‘finger prints’ and ‘the role of the lawyers and the judges’ -- each sub divided into shorter sections.
The incidence of crime has increased in Sri Lanka causing many social problems. Most of the offenders are not aware of the gravity of their criminal conduct until they are convicted and punished. As the law presumes every person to know the law, ignorance of the law is not an excuse. This is unfair by most of the citizens as there is no mechanism to impart an elementary knowledge of the law to every person.
For this reason, President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanne’s ‘Crime Recreated’ (Yali Mewena Aparadhayak) is of immense value in educating lawyers, law students and more importantly lay persons who have had no formal education in law.
The book is an excellent contribution to an understanding of the application of criminal law and evidence to complex issues in criminal justice. The author’s admirable methodology can be demonstrated by his discussion of these issues. This is a valuable book which I strongly recommend for those interested in criminal law, criminal procedure and evidence. I wish the author every success in his future endeavours. (The writer is a President’s Counsel and a Former Principal of
Sri Lanka Law College)