Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court orders bail for Pallegama Hemarathana Thero accused of serious sexual abuse of a minor girl. Mother further remanded.
The Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court has ordered the release on bail of Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, who was accused of the serious sexual abuse of a minor girl.
He was ordered to be released on two surety bails of Rs. 500,000 each and a cash bail of Rs. 100,000.
The Magistrate also informed that the bail order would be cancelled if bail conditions were violated or if witnesses were influenced.
A foreign travel ban has also been imposed on Hemarathana Thero.
Meanwhile, Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, who was in remand custody and receiving treatment at the National Hospital over an allegation of serious sexual abuse of a minor girl, was transferred to the prison hospital yesterday afternoon (May 21).
Suspect Hemarathana Thero, who was previously arrested by the Gampaha Divisional Police Children and Women’s Bureau, had been held in remand custody until today (May 22) and was produced before the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court today.
Court Orders Bank Details in Mother’s Name
On May 18, Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Siyapath Sasindu Wickramaratne separately ordered the management of all state banks and major private banks to provide without delay detailed reports of bank accounts in the name of the mother of the minor girl whom Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thero allegedly seriously sexually abused.
The Chief Magistrate also separately ordered the management of all state and private telecommunications companies to provide without delay analytical reports related to the mobile phone numbers used by Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, as well as the mobile phone numbers used by the minor girl whom he allegedly seriously sexually abused.
The court issued these orders considering a request made by the investigating Nittambuwa Police through a further report.
Order to Produce Hemarathana Thero in Court on the 22nd
On May 15, Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Siyapath Sasindu Wickramaratne ordered the Colombo Remand Prison Authority to produce suspect Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, who was in remand custody and receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital over an allegation of serious sexual abuse of a minor girl, before the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court on the 22nd.
Meanwhile, the Chief Magistrate firmly rejected a request made by lawyer Pradeep Dissanayake, appearing for the victim’s mother, who was in remand custody on the allegation that she had intentionally handed over her minor daughter for money to be seriously sexually abused, to release her on any bail condition. The Chief Magistrate ordered that the suspect mother be further remanded until the 22nd of this month.
Status of Nittambuwa Police Investigations
When the case related to this incident was called again before the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court (May 15), Nittambuwa Police presented a further report stating that investigations related to this incident have now been completed.
Accordingly, Nittambuwa Police informed the court that the extracts of the investigations have been sent for the Attorney General’s advice, and also stated that the first suspect in this case, Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, is continuing to receive treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.
Prison officials, presenting a medical report of suspect Pallegama Hemarathana Thero forwarded by the Colombo Magazine Prison Authority through Anuradhapura Prison Authority Prasad Prematilaka, stated that suspect Pallegama Hemarathana Thero is currently undergoing several medical examinations and receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.
President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, appearing in court for the first suspect Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, stated that he would not be making a bail application today on behalf of his client.
The President’s Counsel also requested the court to order the police to expedite the investigations into this incident. Considering the submissions of all parties, Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Siyapath Sasindu Wickramaratne decided to call the case again on the upcoming 22nd and ordered the Colombo Remand Prison Authority to produce the first suspect Pallegama Hemarathana Thero before the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court on that day. The Chief Magistrate, who also rejected the release on bail of the victim minor girl’s suspect mother, ordered her to be further remanded until the 22nd.
Appearing on behalf of the complaint were Nittambuwa Headquarters Chief Police Inspector P.M. Anura Gunawardhana, along with Gampaha Divisional Police Children and Women’s Bureau Officer-in-Charge Police Inspector Winishiya Premaratne and Nittambuwa Police Children and Women’s Bureau Officer-in-Charge Police Inspector Wasundara Gunaratne. They were assisted by Anuradhapura Headquarters Chief Police Inspector R.M. Jayaweera and the Case Operations Officer of the Anuradhapura Headquarters Police Children and Women’s Bureau, Sub-Inspector A.C. Dayananda.
Appearing for suspect Pallegama Hemarathana Thero were President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa along with approximately 20 lawyers including Senior Lawyers Ranjith Rajakaruna, Sajeeva Gunaratne, Mahesh Kotuwella, Chandani Hathangala, Hemantha Gamage, Ariyaratna Wickramaarachchi, Danushka Dahampath, Renuka Wickramaarachchi, Madara Wijesinghe, Jalalath Abeyasinghe, Suranga Mohotitty, and Amila Kolonnaarachchi. Lawyer Pradeep Dissanayake appeared on behalf of the victim’s mother.
No lawyer or any other external party appeared on behalf of the rights of the allegedly abused minor victim.
The first suspect in this case, Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, has been held in remand custody until May 22 under an order issued by Fort Magistrate Prasan Amarasekara. The suspect, who was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo until the 12th, was transferred from the private hospital to the Colombo National Hospital also under an order issued by the Fort Magistrate.
The police have reported facts to the court against the first suspect, Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, under charges of serious sexual abuse of a minor girl under Section 365 (A) (2) (b) of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 1995, and for committing rape of a minor girl under Section 364 (2) (c) of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 1995. Meanwhile, the police have reported facts to the court against the mother of the minor victim under charges of trafficking a person and aiding and abetting the first suspect, Pallegama Hemarathan Thero, in the above charges, under Section 360 (C) (1) (a) of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act No. 16 of 2006.
Statement from the National Child Protection Authority
Meanwhile, the National Child Protection Authority has announced that ‘the Authority has been carrying out regulatory functions regarding this incident from the day it was reported to ensure that the law is properly enforced, and will continue to regulate whether these investigations are conducted in a manner that protects the rights of this minor girl and ensures justice for her, and is prepared to take appropriate steps for the best interest of the child whenever necessary.’
The full statement is as follows.
