A warrant had been issued for the arrest of Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero after he failed to appear in court for an ongoing case at the Trincomalee Magistrate's Court. Lawyers at the Trincomalee Court Complex staged a protest alleging that the monk subsequently made statements contemptuous of the magistrate and the court.
Lawyers say order was lawful
Lawyers participating in the protest pointed out that the statement made by the monk through the media has compromised the independence of the judiciary.
They further stressed that the magistrate had issued a completely lawful order following the failure to appear for the court hearing.
Call to enforce the law
Commenting on the matter, the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Trincomalee branch, Attorney-at-Law A.S.M. Rafees, stated that he strongly condemns the remarks made against the Trincomalee Magistrate and the court. He added that the law must be enforced regarding the incident.
