Colombo High Court Upholds Nine-Month Prison Sentence Against BBS Chief Gnanasara Thera
The Colombo High Court has dismissed an appeal lodged by Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, upholding a nine-month prison sentence and a fine of Rs. 1,500 that had previously been imposed on him by the Colombo Magistrate's Court.
Appeal Rejected by High Court
High Court Judge Manjula Tilakaratne delivered the ruling on Wednesday (23), rejecting the appeal brought forward by the controversial Buddhist monk against the sentence handed down at the magistrate level.
Gnanasara Thera, who leads the nationalist Buddhist organisation Bodu Bala Sena, had sought to overturn the conviction and its accompanying punishment through the appeal process. However, Judge Tilakaratne found no grounds to set aside the original ruling.
Background
The Bodu Bala Sena and its General Secretary have been figures of significant controversy in Sri Lanka in recent years. Gnanasara Thera has previously faced legal proceedings on multiple occasions, drawing widespread attention both domestically and internationally.
The dismissal of this appeal means the nine-month custodial sentence and financial penalty imposed by the Colombo Magistrate's Court remain firmly in place.
The case continues to attract public interest given the prominent and often polarising profile of the accused within Sri Lanka's religious and political landscape.
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