Contempt action against Ven. Galagoda Atte Thera

The contempt of court action filed against Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera over his alleged offensive behaviour inside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court was yesterday fixed for judgment by the Court of Appeal.

Court of Appeal Justice (President) Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Arjuna Obeysekara informed that judgment regarding this case would be delivered on August 8.

Both prosecution and defence parties had concluded their oral submissions and subsequently filed their written submissions regarding the matter.

The Court of Appeal proceedings had listed eight persons, including Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris and Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma as witnesses.

On 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 into such a complaint. On 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.

 

A charge sheet signed by Court of Appeal’s President had been served on the accused.

On January 25, 2016 Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera began to address Open Court after the court hearing pertaining to the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was over. The Thera was arrested by the police on the charges of contempt of court, obstructing Court proceedings and intimidating a public servant.

The Homagama Magistrate had sought the 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 legal action against Gnanasara Thera if the charges levelled against him amounts to Contempt of Court.

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post