Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera said he didn’t intend to insult the judiciary with the remarks made inside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court in January 2016.
Gnanasara Thera made this remarks as a defense witness regarding the contempt of court case filed against him.
“I had no intention to insult the judiciary or any other person in court. The emotional feelings created subsequent to an order to further remand the army intelligence officers led to address in open court,” Gnanasara Thera said.
Meanwhile, Gnanasara Thera accepted the fact that he told inside Homagama Magistrate's court that he would not accept 'White Man's Law' (suddage neethiya).
The Court of Appeal hearing the contempt of court action filed against Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera Thera over his alleged offensive behaviour inside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court today concluded recording evidence from Gnanasara Thera.
When the matter came up for inquiry before Court of Appeal (CA) Justice L.T.B. Dehideniya and Justice Preethi Padman Surasena further trial fixed for October 30.
Former Homage Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake who is now serving as a Colombo Additional Magistrate and Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Dileepa Peiris had also given evidence in this regard.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysuriya appeared for the Attorney General. President's Counsel Manohara de Silva appeared for Gnanasara Thera.
In a surprising turn of events, on January 25, Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera began to address Open Court after the court hearing pertaining to the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was over. Later on, Gnanasara Thera was arrested by police on the charges of contempt of courts, obstructing Court proceedings and intimidating a public servant.
Former Homagama 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.
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 further sought Court’s jurisdiction to take necessary legal action against Gnanasara Thera if the charges levelled against him amounts to Contempt of Court.
At a previous occasion, the Attorney General filed the amended charge sheet comprising four counts alleging that the accused had committed a punishable offence which comes under Article 105 of the constitution.