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Thursday, 14 June 2018 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By S. S. Selvanayagam
Court of Appeal yesterday fixed for Argument on 23 November the appeal filed by the Attorney General against the High Court Judgment, wherein Ven. 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 Bench comprised Justices Deepali Wijesundera and Achala Wengappuli.
The Court of Appeal, on 2 February, directed the Counsel for the Accused-Respondent Ven. 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 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 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, Galagoda 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 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.
