AGS appeal on Thera’s acquittal fixed on Oct 19

The Court of Appeal yesterday (13) fixed to be mentioned on October 19 the appeal filed by the Attorney General against the judgement of the Colombo High Court which acquitted Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera 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 P. R. Welgama and S. Devika de L. Tennekoon.

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.

The AG in his appeal against the Judgment is seeking the Appeal Court to set aside the judgment of the High Court and sentence the accused according to law

W. Karunananda, E. M. H. Ratnayake, Aththaragama Gnanawimala Thera, Galgoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, Angulagalle Siri Jinananda Thera 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 judgement 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 Thera. State Counsel Himali Jayanetti appeared for the Attorney General. U. R. de Silva, Kalyana Tiranagama and Ms. Sandamalee Ekanayake appeared for the 10 Respondents.