Court orders enforcement of remaining sentence against Gnanasara Thera
COLOMBO – The Court of Appeal on Monday (5) ordered the enforcement of the remaining six-year rigorous prison sentence against the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, following his arrest on multiple outstanding warrants related to contempt of court charges.
Gnanasara Thera, who had been subject to an open warrant, was produced before the Court of Appeal by prison officials on Monday (5) following his arrest the previous day.
Upon considering the submissions in a motion filed by the Attorney General, the Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and Lakmali Karunanayake, directed the Commissioner General of Prisons to carry out the remaining period of the sentence previously imposed on the monk.
The arrest stems from a Court of Appeal order issued in connection with contempt of court proceedings linked to the court proceedings surrounding the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.
Officers of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) apprehended Gnanasara Thera and produced him before the Colombo Additional Magistrate in chambers on Sunday (4). Police informed the Magistrate that active warrants had been issued against the monk by the Court of Appeal, the Colombo High Court, and the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
During Sunday’s proceedings, defence counsel Iresh Seneviratne, appearing with Pasan Karunaratne, stated that his client had been residing at an Aranya Senasanaya (forest monastery) while suffering from severe mental distress, and that he had not intended to evade the court.
Justice Lakmali Karunanayake then questioned why the respondent had not taken steps to provide the necessary instructions to his lawyers, to which Karunaratne replied that mobile telephone coverage at the place was weak, preventing him from contacting his lawyers and giving them instructions
Citing recommendations by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks regarding special security for the monk, defence counsel requested specific measures to guarantee his client’s safety while in detention.
Defence counsel also requested permission for Gnanasara Thera to make a brief statement before court, which the bench refused, stating that a lawyer had already made submissions on his behalf.
The Additional Magistrate remanded Gnanasara Thera overnight on Sunday, directing prison authorities to produce him before the Court of Appeal on Monday and subsequently before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (7) regarding the separate warrant pending there.
–ENCL
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