Gnanasara Thera's Appeal to be taken up next week

The Appeal filed by lawyers representing Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, against his prison sentence, was submitted to the Homagama Magistrate’s Court, to be taken up before the Homagama High Court next week.

BBS CEO Dilantha Withanage told the Sunday Times the lawyers handed over an Appeal on Thursday ( 14) requesting the Thera's acquittal of all charges and his 6- month prison sentence imposed by the Homagama Magistrate’s Court, be quashed.

The Appeal is likely to be taken up on Thursday ( 21), though Mr Withanage said the Thera’s lawyers were working towards having the case taken up earlier.

On Th u r s d ay (14), Homagama Magistrate Udesh Ranat u n g a sentenced Gnanasara Thera to 1- year's Rigorous Imprisonment to be served in 6 months, after finding him guilty of threatening Sandya Ekneligoda, wife of missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda, at the Homagama Magistrate’s Court premises. The Magistrate also fined the Thera Rs 3,000 and ordered him to pay Rs 50,000 to Mrs Ekneligoda as compensation.

Though MPs Dayasiri Jaya s e k a r a , Jaya n t h a Samaraweera and Udaya Gammanpila, and Ravana Balaya Convenor Ven. Iththa Kande Saddhatissa Thera attempted to visit the BBS General Secretary at the Welikada Prison on Friday (15), Gnanasara Thera refused to see any visitors, but later spoke to MP Udaya Gammanpila, after he used his privileges as an MP to enter the cell block where the Thera is being housed.