The case against Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera for allegedly possessing a baby elephant without a valid licence was fixed for trial on November 30 by the Colombo High Court, yesterday.
When the case came up before High Court Judge Sampath Wijeratne, the first witness, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Wasantha Senanayake, was not present in Court. The Court was informed that the State Minister was engaging in an official tour in Kenya.
This is the first time in Sri Lanka that an accused had been indicted in the High Court by the Attorney General over an offence of possessing an elephant without valid licence, following the amendments to the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance in 2009.
The Attorney General had filed an indictment against Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera on two counts for allegedly possessing a baby elephant without a valid licence.
The indictment has been filed over two counts come under section 22 (12) of the Fauna and Flora Protection (Amendment) Act, No. 22 of 2009 and section 5(3) (a) of the Public Property Act. The Attorney General had named 19 persons as witnesses and three documents as production items in the case.
Wildlife Department officials had taken into custody a two and half-year-old elephant calf which was found inside the Alan Mathiniyaramaya Temple in Polhengoda on January 28, 2015.
Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara appeared for the Attorney General. President’s Counsel Prasantha Lal de Alwis appeared for the accused.
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