Appeals Court to review remand order in Trincomalee Buddha Statue incident
January 22, 2026 12:56 pm
The Court of Appeal today (22) ordered that the written order and audio recording of the directive issued by the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court on 19 January pertaining to the Buddha statue incident, be produced before court without delay.
Accordingly, the Appeals Court sought the Magistrate’s decision to remand Venerable Balangoda Kassapa and another monk in connection with the Trincomalee Buddha statue incident.
The Appeals Court order was issued when the writ petition filed by Venerable Kassapa Thera and the other monk, challenging their remand custody, was taken up for consideration today.
Accordingly, the Court of Appeal directed that the petition be recalled for further consideration at 1:30 p.m. today.
On January 19, four Buddhist monks, including Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero and six other individuals who were arrested for allegedly violating coastal conservation laws by placing a Buddha statue at the Trincomalee Bodhiraja Viharaya were further remanded.
The group was further remanded until January 28 by the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court.
They are accused of placing a Buddha statue at the Trincomalee Bodhiraja Viharaya on November 16, 2025 in violation of coastal conservation laws.
