Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today (Jan. 09) rejected the bail application submitted on behalf of the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organization – Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero.
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court had sentenced Gnanasara Thero, to 09 months imprisonment earlier today (Jan. 09) over his defamatory statement on the religion of Islam.
Gnanasara Thero filed an appeal against his nine-month prison sentence at the Colombo High Court through his attorneys, which was filed before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
Attorney-at-Law Gamini Alwis, appearing on behalf of the Thero, presented facts requesting bail for his client pending the hearing of the appeal. He had argued that it may take a considerable amount of time for the appeal to be heard, and therefore requested the Thero’s release on bail as a special case as the prison sentence is only for a period of nine months.
In response, the Magistrate stated that special circumstances must be presented to consider a bail application of this nature.
After reviewing the facts presented, the Magistrate concluded that no exceptional facts had been presented on behalf of the defendant and rejected the bail application.
( Previous news, 09th of January 2025 ; 12:04 pm)
Gnanasara Thera sentenced to 09 months imprisonment
General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organization – Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero has been sentenced to 09 months simple imprisonment by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court for insulting the religion of Islam.
In addition to the prison term, Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena imposed a fine of Rs. 1,500.
The sentence follows an earlier arrest warrant issued after Gnanasara Thero failed to appear before court regarding the charges.
