The Colombo Additional Magistrate's Court ordered today (04) that Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero—General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena organization, who was arrested after evading court despite warrants having been issued against him—be remanded in custody until tomorrow (05).
The then-Magistrate of Homagama had lodged a complaint with the Court of Appeal alleging that Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero committed contempt of court on January 25, 2016. This incident occurred when the case regarding the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda was being heard at the Homagama Magistrate's Court; the Thero had entered the courtroom without permission and behaved in a manner that obstructed court officials. The verdict in the case related to that complaint was delivered on May 24, 2018, sentencing Ven. Gnanasara Thero to a term of rigorous imprisonment spanning six years. Subsequently, on May 23, 2019, the then-President Maithripala Sirisena granted him a presidential pardon.
However, challenging that presidential pardon, several parties—including Sandhya Eknaligoda, the wife of Prageeth Eknaligoda—filed fundamental rights petitions before the Supreme Court. Upon hearing these petitions, the Supreme Court ruled that former President Maithripala Sirisena's decision to grant a pardon and release Ven. Gnanasara Thero was contrary to the law, and consequently declared the pardon null and void. However, even though the general pardon was rendered invalid, the Attorney General had filed a petition with the Court of Appeal seeking the arrest and production before the court of Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero—who had failed to appear in court—and this motion was taken up on the 29th.
As the accused, Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero—upon whom notice had been served—failed to appear in court on that day as well, the court issued an open warrant ordering his arrest and production before the court.
Acting on the said warrant, officers from the Colombo Crimes Division arrested Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero last night (03). Following his arrest and transfer to the Colombo Crimes Division last night, he was produced before the Aluthkade Magistrate's Court this afternoon. Officers from the Colombo Crimes Division informed the court that warrants had been issued against the suspect, Ven. Gnanasara Thero, by the Court of Appeal, the Colombo High Court, and the Colombo Magistrate's Court.
At that juncture, Attorney Iresh Seneviratne—appearing alongside Attorney Pasan Karunaratne on behalf of the accused, Ven. Gnanasara Thero—pointed out that the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday terror attacks had recommended that special security be provided for him. Accordingly, the attorney requested the court to issue an order ensuring special security for the Thero while in prison custody.
Having considered the submissions, the Additional Magistrate ordered that the accused, Ven. Gnanasara Thero, be remanded. The court further ordered that steps be taken to produce him before the Court of Appeal tomorrow. In addition, the Magistrate ordered that the Thero be produced before the Colombo High Court the day after tomorrow in connection with a warrant pending against him there.
As there is also a warrant pending against Gnanasara Thero before the Colombo Magistrate's Court, the Magistrate ordered prison officials to take steps to produce him before that court next Wednesday.
Furthermore, the Magistrate directed prison officials to take necessary measures regarding the security of Gnanasara Thero, who has been remanded in custody.