Gnanasara thero sentenced to 6 years imprisonment in court case for abusing judge as 'poxxxxx'!

Gnanasara thero sentenced to  6 years imprisonment in court case for abusing judge as 'poxxxxx'!

General secretary of Bodu Bala Senawa, Galgodaaththe Gnanasara thero who was found guilty for having disgraced the court was enforced a 6 year jail term of rigorous imprisonment by Appeal Courts today. This verdict was issued by Appeal Court according to a complaint made by Homagama former magistrate and Colombo chief magistrate, Mr. Ranga Dissanayaka against Galagodaaththe Gnanasara thero. 4 accusations were filed against Gnanasara thero and one of them was defaming the judge who conducted proceedings in the court in obscene language. Messrs. Preethi Padman Surasena, chairman of Appeal Court together
with Shiran Gunaratna issued the verdict that the thero was found guilty on all 4 charges. 

A petition  has been submitted against Gnanasara thero to the effect that he had behaved in an uproarious manner within court premises when the case regarding the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was brought to a close and thus the said behaviour is considered an instance of contempt of court. n the case against him on the previous occasion the thero was subjected to imprisonment for a fortnight for having reprimanded Prageeth Ekneligoda's wife. The court ordered that a jail sentence of 19 years be enforced to be completed at the end of 6 years. 

Explaining the incident concerned in the first round of the case under reference Colombo additional magistrate Ranga Dissanayaka had this to say in the presence of Appeal Court: "I have been in service as a magistrate since 6th October, 2006 for a period of 12 years. During that period no such thing has happened. A case pertaining to journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda's disappearance was heard at Homagama magistrate court. Something special took place on January 25th, 2016 regarding this case. On that occasion I conducted the case and ordered that six suspects be sent to remand prison. A short while later another case was called before court. With that, something special took place. A thero who was seated, approached forward and stood. There was about 15 feet distance between where I was seated and the thero concerned. That thero was shouting and saying as if preaching: 'soldiers have been put in jail. Tigers have been taken out. This sudda's law we won't accept!'. Nobody could speak in that manner without permission. I was suddenly taken by surprise. I called a court-translator and asked him to make him understand as to to how to comport himself. However the thero made no heed to those words but kept on expressing his ideas. That statement was not a plea as such. It was understood to be an expression made as if giving an order. I felt that what the thero inferred as soldiers were those suspects. Just then the crown counsel and attorney-at-law Mr. Upul Kumarapperuma who appeared on behalf of the petitioner came to court. Then the thero's tone became more aggressive. 'I am not interested in listening to opinions of crown counsels, They are poxxxyxs of the attorney general!' With those words this thero left the court-room accompanied by other theros. 

By behaving in my presence that way I felt that this thero has challenged powers of the judiciary and by speaking in a threatening manner to the state-counsel it was an offence which warranted punishment. As such, according to Criminal Law Code of Ethics Homagama headquarters inspector of police was ordered to take this thero into custody and to be produced before court. I have seen that thero over the media before. But I made a request from other attorneys-at-law to identify him. From that point onwards Mr. Upali Senaratna, an attorney-at-law identified him as Galagodaaththe Gnanasara thero".

Gnanasara thero had been taking treatment at Sri Jayawardenepura hospital because of a sickly condition two days before this verdict was given today and he was not present today in court, the day when judgement is to be declared. As such, the court order is to be notified to Welikada Prison superintendent, it was ordered. 

Previous news item of the thero avoiding court and getting admitted to hospital, from here

Gnanasara thero admits that he is guilty of an act committed by him during the course of Homagama court uproar (video)