Senior Sri Lankan Buddhist Monk Arrested, Remanded for Teen Sexual Assault Allegations
Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, a revered figure and chief prelate of eight sacred sites in Sri Lanka, was arrested on Saturday while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.
The magistrate ordered his transfer to the Colombo prison hospital and issued an alert to immigration authorities, preventing him from leaving the country. He is scheduled to appear in court on 12 May.
His arrest follows a submission from the country's child protection authority, which had previously criticised the police for inaction despite the monk being named as a suspect. The alleged victim's mother has also been arrested and remanded, charged with aiding and abetting the abuse.
The arrest of such a high-ranking Buddhist monk is a notable event in Sri Lanka, given their considerable political influence and societal veneration.
