Ven.Gnanasara Thera was not present in Court

Contempt of Court case :

Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera was not present in Court yesterday regarding a Contempt of Court action filed against him over his alleged offensive behaviour inside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court amounts to Contempt of Court on January 25, last year.

The Court of Appeal Justices Rohini Walgama and Judge S.Thurairaja observed that the Court wanted the accused to be present in Court on the next date.

However, counsel Anusha Perusinghe appearing on behalf of Gnanasara Thera informed Court that her client was not present in Court since he was ill. She undertook to produce the accused along with a medical certificate on next hearing date which was fixed for May 31. This case is to be taken up for argument before two-judge-bench comprising Justice L.T.B. Dehideniya and Justice Preethi Padman Surasena on next hearing date.

At a previous occasion, the Court of Appeal decided to overrule the preliminary objections raised by Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera against the amended charge sheet.

Former Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake had referred this Contempt of Court action to the Court of Appeal since it is vested with powers to inquire such a complaint.

At a previous occasion, the Attorney General filed the amended charge sheet comprising four counts alleging that the accused had committed a punishable offence which comes under Article 105 of the constitution.

At a previous occasion, a charge sheet signed by Court of Appeal’s President Judge had been served on the accused.

In a surprising turn of events, on January 25, Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera began to address Open Court after the court hearing pertaining to the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was over. Later on, Gnanasara Thera was arrested by police on the charges of contempt of courts, obstructing Court proceedings and intimidating a public servant.

Through this contempt of Court action, the Homagama Magistrate has sought Appeal Court’s jurisdiction to consider whether the alleged offensive behaviour and utterance of Gnanasara Thera inside the Court amounts to Contempt of Court. He further sought Court’s jurisdiction to take necessary legal action against Gnanasara Thera if the charges levelled against him amounts to Contempt of Court.

Deputy Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysuriya appeared for the Attorney General.