A Melbourne jury have been told they must accommodate the Buddhist fasting rituals of a Sri Lankan monk during his trial for alleged historical child sex offences.
Judge Pardeep Tiwana informed the 14 jurors on the first day of Naotunne Vijitha’s trial in the County Court of Victoria that there would be a break at 11.30am daily to allow the accused to have his final meal before fasting from midday to 6am, the Herald Sun reported.
Vijitha, 70, who is on bail, has pleaded not guilty to nine counts of sexual penetration of a child and 10 counts of committing an indecent act with a child under 16, and appeared in court on Wednesday wearing orange and red robes, a red beanie and sandals.
The charges relate to six alleged female victims, now in their 30s, who allege Vijitha sexually assaulted them at the Dhamma Sarana temple in Springvale and Keysborough between 1994 and 2002 while they were aged between four and 12.
The court heard Vijitha, who listened to proceedings with the help of a Sinhalese interpreter, came to Australia to head up the temple in 1994 and held Sunday school classes, ABC News reported.
Defence barrister Nicholas Papas KC asked the jury question the reliability and accuracy of the allegations as they were from 25 to 30 years ago, and to set aside emotion.
“Some of the events are so improbable as to stretch any grounds of credulity,” he told the court.
“He says he’s not guilty, he denies the charges, there’s no middle ground here, the Crown has to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.”
Vijitha’s accusers will be called to give evidence at the trial, which is expected to run for about three weeks.
The trial continues.
Header image: Naotunne Vijitha (Dhamma Sarana Buddhist Temple).
