Moratuwa District Judge Thilina Gamage has been suspended by the Judicial Service Commission pending a misconduct investigation tied to a long-standing elephant trafficking case involving the calf “Sakura.” Despite being acquitted in 2021, fresh scrutiny has reignited the scandal and revived public outrage over judicial ethics and wildlife crime.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has officially suspended Mr. Thilina Gamage, who served as the District Judge and Magistrate of Moratuwa, amid renewed misconduct allegations tied to an infamous elephant trafficking case.
The suspension was announced as part of an ongoing inquiry by the JSC. According to sources, the commission wrote to the suspended judge on August 1, instructing him to respond to the charges within 21 days. This disciplinary action is tied to concerns about his previous involvement in the illegal possession of a baby elephant.
Investigations are centered on how Judge Thilina Gamage allegedly facilitated or benefited from the illegal ownership of a calf elephant named “Sakura,” which was reportedly acquired using forged documentation. The Judicial Service Commission had earlier issued a formal charge sheet against Gamage in June, bringing the case back into the national spotlight.
Thilina Gamage was previously implicated in the controversial elephant trafficking case in 2015. A Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inquiry revealed that the elephant calf had been kept in violation of wildlife protection laws. The animal was returned to the Department of Wildlife in May 2015. Following the revelations, Gamage, who was then serving as the Additional Magistrate of Colombo, was interdicted in May 2016 by the JSC.
In 2019, the Attorney General filed a criminal case under the Public Property Act against Gamage and four others, including Chandraratne Bandara Yatawara, bringing 25 indictments before Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga. These included allegations of using false documents and violating state property laws.
However, Thilina Gamage was acquitted of all charges on December 16, 2021, due to insufficient evidence provided by the Attorney General’s Department. Despite the legal acquittal, the case remains controversial and has continued to cast a shadow over the judiciary.
The Judicial Service Commission’s latest action to suspend the judge signals a potential reopening of disciplinary accountability, especially in cases involving public outrage, wildlife trafficking, and abuse of legal privilege.
