Monk Pallegama was wrongly arrested due to a statement made by a prostitute - Dilum Amunugama

The current government has taken steps to arrest and detain Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thero based on a statement made by a prostitute, says Mr. Dilum Amunugama, National Organizer of the Sarvajana Balaya Party and former Member of Parliament. Speaking at a special press conference, he emphasized that the current administration is engaged in a dual policy of hunting down parties that supported the government in various ways, as well as former heads of security forces.

However, with Mr. Dilum Amunugama's controversial statement referring to the 15-year-old minor girl related to the allegations against Atamasthanadhipathi Thero as a "prostitute," a strong critical discussion and a heated situation have now been created in society. It is noteworthy that the former minister made these remarks in a context where the court had ordered the further remand of Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thero in connection with the charge of serious sexual abuse of the relevant 15-year-old minor girl.

Meanwhile, the case related to this incident was called before the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate's Court recently, and since the suspect Thero did not appear before the court, Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Siyapath Sasindu Wickramarathna rejected the issuance of an order to further remand him. Prison officials informed the court that the suspect Thero had been remanded according to an order from the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court, and that there had been an order to produce him before the Anuradhapura court on that day.

The Anuradhapura Magistrate then pointed out that no such order, purportedly issued by the Colombo court, had been received by him yet. He also strongly emphasized that if an order to remand a suspect is to be extended, it must necessarily be done only by the magistrate who initially issued the order for remand.

A medical report from the Welikada Prison Hospital was also submitted regarding the non-production of the suspect Pallegama Hemarathana Thero in court that day, stating that he was not in a health condition to be transported to a distant area and needed to undergo several special medical examinations. Meanwhile, President's Counsel Kalinga Indratissa, appearing for the suspect Thero, stated before the court that he completely rejects all allegations made against his client. The President's Counsel also accused various professionals and the general public of already unilaterally convicting and passing judgment on this incident through social media networks.

Additionally, Nittambuwa Headquarters Police Inspector P.M. Anura Gunawardena informed the court that investigations into this crime are continuing on a broader scale, as statements need to be recorded from several other individuals.