A Sri Lankan court has sentenced a Sinhala Buddhist monk to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment after finding him guilty of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy at a temple.
The Anuradhapura Special High Court for Child Crimes convicted 65-year-old Mulleriyawa Wimalatissa, the chief incumbent of Sri Sambuddha Walukarama Temple in Thalakolawawa, on three charges relating to the abuse of a minor who had been brought to the temple for ordination in May 2022.
According to AsianMirror, the court imposed three separate 10-year prison terms, amounting to 30 years in total. However, the sentences were ordered to run concurrently after the court considered medical reports submitted by the defence, resulting in an effective prison term of 10 years.
The court also ordered the monk to pay Rs. 500,000 in compensation to the victim and imposed additional fines of Rs. 5000 for the first charge and Rs. 15 000 each on the second and third charges.
The case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Department following an investigation by Thambuttegama Police. The monk was convicted on all charges by Anuradhapura Special High Court Judge Sandun Withana.
The conviction comes amid growing scrutiny of allegations of child sexual abuse involving members of Sri Lanka’s Sinhala Buddhist clergy, with several recent cases drawing national and international attention. Rights groups and child protection advocates have raised concerns over the handling of cases involving senior monks, citing delays in investigations and questions about accountability within religious institutions.
Among the most prominent ongoing cases is that of senior Buddhist monk Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, the former Atamasthanadhipathi of Anuradhapura, who was arrested last month over allegations of sexually abusing an underage girl.
The case sparked widespread debate across the island with the Malwathu Chapter later suspending him from his religious duties pending the conclusion of legal proceedings. Hemarathana has denied the allegations, while investigations remain ongoing.