Sri Lankan Buddhist Monk Arrested for Rape and Sexual Abuse
Summary
Sri Lankan high-ranking Buddhist monk Pallegama Hemarathana Thero has been arrested and remanded on charges of rape and sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl. The case has drawn attention due to his status as chief custodian of sacred Buddhist sites.
Key Points
- Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, a high-ranking Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, has been arrested on charges of raping and sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl.
- He is the chief custodian of eight sacred Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka and was arrested following criticism of police delay by child protection authorities.
- The monk currently faces remand and will appear in court on May 12; the victim's mother has also been arrested for assisting in the abuse.
- The court has ordered his transfer to Colombo Prison Hospital and barred his exit from the country via immigration controls.
