Fonseka to be indicted for military arms purchase fraud

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 June 2010, 03:52 GMT]
The State Counsel representing the Attorney General Wednesday informed Colombo Fort Magistrate that General (retired) Sarath Fonseka, the former commander of the Sri Lanka Army and currently a parliamentarian will shortly be indicted with committing financial irregularities in the military arms deal while he was serving in the army, legal sources said.

The State Counsel Dammith Thotawatte representing the Attorney General submitted to court that there is sufficient evidence against the suspect Fonseka and indictments against the suspect under the Penal Code and the Public Property Act will be filed in the High Court before the next hearing.

Fonseka who is in military custody was produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate this Wednesday morning over the Hicorp arms deal case.

Colombo Fort Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne also instructed the State Counsel to serve indictments on the suspect as soon as possible.

The Magistrate agreeing to a request made by counsels of both the State and the suspect instructed the relevant authorities that the retired General must be kept under military custody as sending him to a remand prison may endanger his life.

Fonseka was further remanded till June 28th.