CA defers contempt charge against Gnanasara for 16 Oct.

By S.S. Selvanayagam

The Court of Appeal on Tuesday deferred for 16 October the hearing of the alleged contempt of court offence against Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera.

The bench comprised justices L.T.B. Dehideniya (CA President) and P. Padman Surasena.

Senior Counsel Manohara de Silva with Anusha Perusinghe appeared for Gnanasara Thero.  Deputy Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysuriya appeared for the Attorney General as Amicus Curiae. Gnanasara›s Counsel moved for postponement.

Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake filed a contempt of court action in the Court of Appeal against Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Gnanasara Thera seeking the appeal court’s constitutional jurisdiction against Gnasara Thera’s alleged offensive behaviour in the Homagama Magistrate’s Court amounting to contempt of court on 25 January last year.

On that day Gnanasara Thera began to address open court after the court hearing pertaining to the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was over. Later on, Gnanasara Thera was arrested by Police on charges of contempt of court, obstructing court proceedings and intimidating a public servant.

Through this contempt of court action, the Homagama Magistrate has sought the appeal court’s jurisdiction to consider whether the alleged offensive behaviour of Gnanasara Thera inside the court amounts to contempt of court.

He further sought court’s jurisdiction to take necessary legal action against Gnanasara Thera if the charges levelled against him amounted to contempt of court.