Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, who was arrested in Thiniyawala while an open warrant had been issued for his arrest, is expected to be produced before court today (4).
Police arrested Gnanasara Thera yesterday (3) while he was reportedly hiding at a forest monastery in Thiniyawala.
Police said the Thera had allegedly used several SIM cards and vehicles while evading arrest.
Following his arrest, he was reportedly brought to the Colombo Crimes Division last night.
The Court of Appeal had recently issued an open warrant directing Police to arrest Gnanasara Thera and produce him before court in connection with a prison sentence imposed on him for contempt of court.
The Court of Appeal had also ordered that a travel ban be imposed on him.
Gnanasara Thera was convicted on 8 August 2018 on four counts of contempt of court over an incident at the Homagama Magistrate’s Court in January 2016, during proceedings relating to the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.
The charges related to addressing the court without permission and disrupting court proceedings.
The Court of Appeal sentenced him to a total of 19 years’ imprisonment, to be served concurrently over a period of six years.
However, then President Maithripala Sirisena subsequently granted Gnanasara Thera a presidential pardon, releasing him from the sentence.
A group including Sandya Eknaligoda, the wife of missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, later filed a Fundamental Rights petition challenging the pardon, arguing that it was unconstitutional and seeking to have it nullified.
On 10 September, the Supreme Court ruled that the presidential pardon granted to Gnanasara Thera was invalid.
On 29 September, the petitioners brought a motion before court raising concerns over the failure to enforce the sentence against Gnanasara Thera following the Supreme Cour
