The Contempt of Court action filed against Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera over his alleged offensive behaviour inside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court amounts to Contempt of Court, was yesterday fixed for February 14 by Court of Appeal.
When the matter came up before two-judge-bench comprising Justice Vijith Malalgoda and Justice S. Thurairaja, the respondent, Gnanasara Thera was present in Courts.
Homagama former Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake had referred this Contempt of Court action to the Court of Appeal since it is vested with powers to inquire such a complaint.
On a previous occasion, the Attorney General filed an amended charge sheet comprising four counts alleging that the accused had committed a punishable offence which comes under the Article 105 of the Constitution.
A charge sheet signed by Court of Appeal’s President Judge had been served on the accused.
In a surprising turn of events, on January 25, 2016, Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera began to address Open Court after the court hearing pertaining to the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda. Gnanasara Thera was arrested later by police on the charges of contempt of courts, obstructing Court proceedings and intimidating a public servant.
Through this contempt of Court action, the Homagama Magistrate has sought Appeal Court’s jurisdiction to consider whether the alleged offensive behaviour and utterance of Gnanasara Thera inside the Court amounts to Contempt of Court. He sought Court’s jurisdiction to take legal action against Gnanasara Thera if the charges levelled against him amounts to Contempt of Court.
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