Court of Appeal to hear Gnanasara Thero case on Nov.7

Saturday, 21 January 2017 02:31 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By S.S.Selvanayagam

The Court of Appeal yesterday fixed for argument on 7 November the Appeal filed by the Attorney General against the judgment of the Colombo High Court which acquitted Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero and two Buddhist monks as well as 10 other laymen who had been indicted for the alleged attack on the Calvary Church at Araliya Uyana in Talahena.

The Bench comprised Justices Rohini Walgama and Kumudhini Wickramasinghe.

The death certificate of the first accused S. A. Athula Seneviratne was produced in Court.

The Attorney General cited S. A. Athula Seneviratne, W. M. Sudu Banda, H. Thamara Beatrice, A. K. Denzil 02-Thero Premakumara Perera, D.S.P.Kandana Arachchi, T.K.Somadasa, E.M.Victor Ratnayake, K.W.Karunananda, E.M.H.Ratnayake, Aththaragama Gnanawimala Thero, Galgoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, Angulagalle Siri Jinananda Thero and Dhanuska Sanjeeva as Accused-Respondents.

The Accused-Respondents had been indicted in the Colombo High Court for having committed offences of being members of an unlawful assembly to attack the said Calvary Church; for causing mischief to the said Church and causing injuries to Sydney Roshan Anderson and John Anton Anderson as well as for robbery of two gold chains.

The High Court in its judgment on 02.04.2014 acquitted all the accused. The Attorney General in his appeal against the Judgment of the High Court is seeking the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment of the High Court and convict and sentence the accused according to law and make order substituting the order quashed.

Manohara de Silva PC appeared for Ven. Gnanasara Thero. State Counsel Himali Jayanetti appeared for the Attorney General.U.R.de Silva Kalyana Tiranagama and Sandamalee Ekanayake appeared for 10 Respondents.