Arrests over Kotelawela Defence University Bill: Kaduwela Magistrate alleges interference

Contempt charge over protest in court premises

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Police say those who had been involved in Tuesday’s unruly protest within the Kaduwela Magistrate’s court premises would be dealt with in terms of the Administration of Justice Law, the Penal Code and the Public Property Act.

Police spokesman Attorney-at-Law SSP Nihal Thalduwa said so after the Registrar of the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court lodged a complaint with the local police regarding Tuesday’s incident. The police are also inquiring whether the protesters caused any damage to the court property.

The particular incident at a court premise was the first since Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera, General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, was sentenced, in August 2018, for six years after being found guilty of contempt of court over his conduct during a court hearing in 2016 regarding the case of missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda.

Gnanasara Thera was found guilty of four charges filed by the Attorney General’s Department over his behaviour. He was convicted on four counts of contempt of court, receiving terms of four years each on the first and the second counts, six years on the third and five for the fourth, all to run concurrently. Former President Maithripala Sirisena pardoned Gnanasara thera in May 2019. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last month named Ven. Gnanasara, head of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on ‘One Country, One Law’ concept.

Responding to The Island queries, SSP Thalduwa said that those who had been demanding bail for several activists remanded over a violent protest near the Parliament on August 3 behaved in a contemptuous manner.

The Kaduwela Magistrate yesterday (10) directed the police to arrest Duminda Nagamuwa of the breakaway JVP faction, the Frontline Socialist Party in connection with the rumpus. SSP Talduwa said that the police were looking for several persons in that connection.

Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) convenor Wasantha Kumara Mudalige and three others arrested in connection with the August protest had been remanded pending investigations over damaging of public property during a recent protest, have been further remanded until August 17. Those in remand in addition to Mudalige are President of the Sri Jayewardenepura University Students’ Federation Amila Sandeepa, Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Administrative Secretary Chameera Koswatte and party activist Koshila Hansamali.

They were arrested by the Thalangama police on August 5, within 48 hours after OIC Maharagama sustained injuries during a violent protest against the proposed Kotelawela National Defence University Bill.

SSP Thalduwa emphasized the protesters would be dealt with severely. According to the Registrar, the protesters had interfered with the court proceedings.

There had also been serious incidents, even involving lawyers on the day the Colombo High Court delivered judgment on the White flag case though action was not taken at all.