A senior Buddhist monk in Melbourne has been found guilty of multiple historical sex offenses against six girls. Naotunne Vijitha, 70, was convicted by a County Court jury on Thursday after a trial that lasted four weeks. The jury determined that the monk committed the offenses between 1994 and 2002, when the victims were aged between four and 12 years old.

Vijitha, who served as the head monk at the Dhamma Sarana temple in Keysborough, was found guilty of eight counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and nine counts of committing an indecent act with a child under 16. He was acquitted of one indecent act charge, while the jury is still deliberating on another.

During the trial, the jury heard testimonies from the six women, now in their 30s, who accused Vijitha of abusing his position of authority. Prosecutors alleged that he lured the young girls into his living quarters at the temple with sweets. Some victims reported that he digitally penetrated them or used objects like a ruler and an eraser to violate them. Others claimed he inappropriately touched them or forced their hands onto his body.

Vijitha was charged in 2023 after several victims came forward to police. The court was informed that some victims had disclosed their experiences to friends and family members in the years leading up to the trial.

In his defense, barrister Nicholas Papas KC urged the jury to find Vijitha not guilty, arguing that the allegations were based on events that occurred 25 to 30 years ago. He questioned the reliability of the complainants' memories, stating, "Some of the events are so improbable as to stretch any grounds of credulity." Papas also noted that Vijitha did not remember the girls who accused him, asserting, "He can't remember the events, because in his mind, they didn't happen."

The jury began deliberations on October 23 and returned with a guilty verdict on 17 of the 19 charges. Judge Pardeep Tiwana informed the jurors that he would accept a majority verdict on the remaining charge. Sentencing for Vijitha is expected to follow once the jury completes its deliberations on the outstanding charge. Under Victorian law, he could face more than a decade in prison for his crimes.