The Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered the release on bail of Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, who is accused of sexually abusing a minor girl.

The court granted bail on two personal sureties of Rs. 5 million each and a cash bail of Rs. 100,000.

The magistrate warned that the bail order would be revoked if bail conditions were violated or if witnesses were influenced. A foreign travel ban was also imposed on the suspect.

Ven. Hemarathana Thera had been remanded until May 22 after being arrested by the Gampaha Division Police Children and Women’s Bureau. He was produced before the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

The monk had been receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital while in remand custody before being transferred to the prison hospital on May 21.

During earlier proceedings, the court ordered state and major private banks to provide detailed reports on bank accounts held in the name of the victim’s mother to the Nittambuwa Police. Telecommunications providers were also directed to submit analysis reports related to phone numbers allegedly linked to the suspect and the minor girl.

Police informed the court that investigations into the incident had been completed and that extracts of the investigation had been forwarded to the Attorney General for legal advice.

The victim’s mother, who is also in remand custody, is accused of knowingly facilitating the abuse of her daughter in exchange for money. The court rejected a request to release her on bail and ordered that she remain in remand custody until May 22.

Police have filed charges against Ven. Hemarathana Thera under sections of Sri Lanka’s Penal Code relating to the rape and grave sexual abuse of a minor. The victim’s mother faces charges linked to human trafficking and aiding the alleged offences.

Sri Lanka’s National Child Protection Authority said it was monitoring the case to ensure that the rights of the minor victim are protected and that proper legal procedures are followed. (Newswire)

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A collective statement has called for a fair and independent investigation into the serious abuse allegations against Anuradhapura Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, stressing that the upcoming hearing on May 22 is not merely about one individual but a test of whether Sri Lanka’s law applies equally to the powerful and the powerless.

The statement highlights that according to information shared by the girl, she is alleged to have faced abuse from a very young age, a grave crime against a child and a moral failure of institutions meant to protect her.

It notes the stark imbalance of power between a highly influential religious figure and a vulnerable girl from a disadvantaged background, raising concerns about whether justice can be enforced without bias.

Public concern has intensified due to reports that police were reluctant to carry out the arrest order and that the suspect was kept in a private hospital even after arrest, creating perceptions of unequal treatment. 

The statement stresses that this outcry stems from genuine fears that power, status, and institutional influence may interfere with the enforcement of the law.

It insists that no one should stand above the law, whether priest or layperson, and cites recent cases, including the Supreme Court ruling against a university professor found guilty of sexual abuse, as examples of the barriers victims face when challenging entrenched systems of power.

The demands outlined include:

• Independent Investigation free from political, religious, or institutional influence.
• Immediate Protection — legal, psychological, and social support for the girl.
• Justice Over Power — a legal process driven by truth and fairness rather than status.

The statement concludes that the government, which came to power promising safety and dignity for women and children, must now prove those promises were genuine by ensuring equal enforcement of the law. (Newswire)

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