Attack on Calvary Church: CA directs Ven. Gnanasara to file written submissions

Saturday, 3 February 2018 00:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By S. S. Selvanayagam

The Court of Appeal yesterday directed the counsel for the Accused-Respondent Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero to file a 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 bench comprised Justices S. Devika De L. Tennekoon and S. Thurairaja.

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, Ven. Aththaragama Gnanawimala Thero, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, Ven. Angulagalle Siri Jinananda Thero 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 said Church and causing injuries to Sydney Roshan Anderson and John Anton Anderson as well as for the alleged robbery of two gold chains.

The High Court in its judgment on 02 April 2014 acquitted all 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 make an 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 the ten Respondents.