Trial against Uduwe Thera fixed for Sep. 20

The trial against Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera, over allegedly keeping an elephant calf without a license, was fixed for September 20 and 21 by Colombo High Court Judge Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne today.

While acceding to the request by Defence Counsel Prasantha Lal de Alwis to obtain certain documents, which were not attached with the indictment by the prosecution, the Judge directed Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara to provide them within three weeks in order to proceed with the trial.

Earlier, the monk was served with indictments by the Attorney General on two counts under the Acts of Public Property and Fauna and Flora.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation found the elephant calf at the Alan Mathiniyaramaya in Polhengoda in January 2015 and the elephant was taken into custody by the Department officials.

Earlier, the Thera was arrested by the CID and remanded by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court over the alleged breach of the Law by keeping an elephant calf without a valid license. (Shehan Chamika Silva)