Gnanasara Thera's 6-Yr Prison Sentence Reinstated
The Court of Appeal today ordered that the six-year prison sentence imposed on Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera for contempt of court be reactivated with effect from today, following the Supreme Court's recent decision to invalidate the presidential pardon previously granted to him. The order was delivered by a Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and Lakmali Karunanayake. Gnanasara Thera had been convicted on contempt of court charges and sentenced to six years' imprisonment. However, he was subsequently released after receiving a presidential pardon from former President Maithripala Sirisena. The latest order follows a Supreme Court determination delivered on September 10, which ruled that the presidential pardon granted to Gnanasara Thera was legally invalid.
