Calvary Church attack appeal fixed for 31 May 

By S.S. Selvanayagam

The Court of Appeal on Wednesday (23 May) fixed for 31 May the appeal filed by the Attorney General against the High Court Judgment where Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero and two Buddhist monks as well as 10 other laymen were acquitted on the indictment against them for the alleged attack on the Calvary Church at Araliya Uyana in Talahena.

The appeal will be heard by Court of Appeal President Justice P. Padman Surasena. The bench comprised Justices S. Thurairaja and Shiran Gooneratne. The Court of Appeal on 2 February directed the Counsel for the Accused-Respondent Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero to file Written Submission on 23 May in respect of the Appeal filed by the Attorney General against the judgment of the Colombo High Court which acquitted 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 Attorney General cited S.A. Athula Seneviratne, W.M. Sudu Banda, H. Thamara Beatrice, A.K. Denzil Premakumara Perera, D.S.P. Kandana Arachchi, T.K. Somadasa, E.M. Victor Ratnayake, K.W. Karunananda, E.M.H. Ratnayake, Aththaragama Gnanawimala Himi, Galgoda Aththe Gnanasara Himi, Angulagalle Siri Jinananda Himi 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 Calvary Church; for causing mischief to the church and causing injuries to Sydney Roshan Anderson and John Anton Anderson as well as for the robbery of two gold chains.

The High Court in its judgment on 2 April 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 the law and give an order substituting the quashed order.

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