Gnanasara Thero fainted at Perera & Sons - Lawyer

President's Counsel Anura Meddegoda informed Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva yesterday (24) that Bodubala Sena organization's General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero has been referred for medical treatment due to a sudden illness that occurred while he was on his way to appear before the court.

Yesterday morning, after inquiring about the well-being of a monk receiving treatment at Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama, Gnanasara Thero was on his way to the Aluthkade court when he fainted while having a meal at the Perera & Sons (P&S) restaurant near the court. Due to this illness, he was unable to appear in court, the President's Counsel stated, presenting facts to the court. Furthermore, Viharagala Wijitha Thero, who accompanied him at the time, also appeared before the court and confirmed this situation.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva ordered that if there is any reason not to enforce the nine-month prison sentence imposed on Gnanasara Thero after his conviction on charges of insulting Islam, facts regarding this should be presented on the 1st of next month. When the relevant complaint was called, the accused Gnanasara Thero was not present in court. After considering the facts presented by President's Counsel Anura Meddegoda and the panel of lawyers appearing on his behalf, the Magistrate issued this order. Furthermore, the Magistrate informed that the relevant legal arguments should be presented after the accused appears in court. In addition to the President's Counsel, lawyers Gunaratne Wanninayake and Sanjeewa Anthony appeared before the court on behalf of the accused Thero.

This case is based on a statement made by Gnanasara Thero regarding the Islamic religion at a press conference held in the Kirulapana area in July 2016. The police, representing the Colombo Crimes Division, filed this case under Section 291 of the Penal Code, alleging that his statements, "Islam is a cancer" and that it "should be wiped out," violated inter-ethnic harmony.

The court sentenced the convicted Thero to a nine-month prison term with rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1500. The President's Counsel informed the court that after the revision application filed against that verdict was rejected by the High Court, an appeal has now been filed with the Supreme Court. He also requested the court to suspend the execution of the sentence until the said appeal is considered. The relevant case filed before the Supreme Court has now been scheduled to be called on February 23, 2027.