The Anuradhapura Special High Court for Child Crimes has sentenced a 65-year-old monk to 30 years’ rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy who had come to a temple for ordination and was abused on the same night.
The monk had been indicted on three counts before the High Court. Anuradhapura Special High Court Judge Sandun Withana convicted the accused monk on all three charges and imposed the sentence.
The Court also ordered the monk to pay Rs. 500,000 in compensation to the minor victim. Failure to pay the compensation would result in an additional six-month prison sentence.
In addition, the Judge imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 on the first charge and Rs. 15,000 each on the second and third charges. Failure to pay the fines would result in an additional four months’ imprisonment on each charge.
A 10-year prison sentence was imposed on each indictment, amounting to 30 years. However, after considering submissions made by defence counsel Suranga Mohotti, including medical reports indicating that the accused suffered from various illnesses, the Judge ordered that the 30-year rigorous imprisonment sentence run concurrently, resulting in an effective prison term of 10 years.
The convicted monk was identified as 65-year-old Mulleriyawa Wimalatissa, Chief Incumbent of Sri Sambuddha Walukarama Temple in Thalakolawawa, Hurigaswewa, Thambuttegama.
According to indictments filed by the Attorney General, the offence was committed on or around 10 May 2022 in Thalakolawawa, Hurigaswewa, within the jurisdiction of the Anuradhapura High Court.
Before the verdict, appearing for the prosecution on behalf of the Attorney General, State Counsel Chamika Guruge requested Court to impose the maximum punishment available under law for such offences.
The case was initially heard before the Thambuttegama Magistrate’s Court and was later referred to the Anuradhapura High Court for further trial after the Attorney General filed indictments.
Court proceedings revealed that the 14-year-old victim had been handed over to the accused monk by another monk on 10 May 2022 for the purpose of ordination. Evidence led during trial established that the accused monk had subjected the minor to severe sexual abuse on the very first night after the child arrived at the temple.
The trial further heard that after the abuse, the child fled the temple on the first night itself. While travelling along a road, the child was taken into the custody of a group of Thambuttegama Police officers, whose questioning led to the discovery of the offence.
Former Judicial Medical Officer of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital H.A. Karunathilake, who conducted the medico-legal examination of the child, and seven Thambuttegama Police officers who carried out the investigation testified during the trial.
State Counsel Chamika Guruge appeared for the prosecution on behalf of the Attorney General, while Attorney Suranga Mohotti appeared for the defence. The investigation was conducted by Thambuttegama Police.
