Court Issues Warrant for Gnanasara Thero's Arrest

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Court of Appeal issued a warrant for the arrest of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero and ordered that he be produced before court.

The order was issued by a Court of Appeal bench comprising Mayadunne Corea and Lakmali Karunanayake, which also directed that the warrant be executed through the Inspector General of Police and that Gnanasara Thero be produced before court on October 1.

The matter originates from four contempt of court charges against Gnanasara Thero, who was convicted on August 8, 2018, for addressing the court without permission and obstructing court proceedings when the case relating to the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda was taken up before the Homagama Magistrate's Court in January 2016.

At the time, the Court of Appeal sentenced him to 19 years of rigorous imprisonment, to be served over a period of six years.

Subsequently, former President Maithripala Sirisena granted Gnanasara Thero a presidential pardon, resulting in his release.

However, the Supreme Court, hearing a Fundamental Rights petition filed by a group including Sandya Eknaligoda, the wife of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, ruled on September 10 that the presidential pardon was unconstitutional and declared it invalid.

Today, the Court of Appeal took up a motion filed by the petitioners regarding the non-implementation of the sentence imposed on Gnanasara Thero following the Supreme Court's ruling.

Although notices had been served on him, defendant Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero failed to appear before court, prompting the issuance of a warrant directing that he be arrested and produced before the court.

Senior State Counsel Sajith Bandara, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, informed court that this was a criminal matter.

He further stated that despite having received notice, the defendant had failed to appear before court without providing a satisfactory explanation.

President's Counsel Anura Meddegoda, appearing on behalf of Gnanasara Thero, submitted that his client was suffering from illness.

He told court that Gnanasara Thero had undergone gallbladder surgery and was currently resting, but added that he was unable to produce medical reports at this stage.

The Court of Appeal bench observed that although it had been claimed that the respondent was unwell, no medical documentation had been submitted to substantiate the claim.

Noting that the case before it related to contempt of court, the Court of Appeal directed that Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero be arrested and produced before court on October 1.