Fonseka could face court martial

Colombo, Feb. 7: Sri Lanka’s defeated presidential candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka could face a military court on charges of conspiring to overthrow the government and plotting to kill the Lankan President, Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa, a report said on Sunday.

The Rajapaksa-led government, which alleged soon after the presidential poll verdict that the former military chief had plotted to kill the President, has consulted its top legal counsel on trying Mr Fonseka in a court martial.

“A military court is likely to try retired General Sarath Fonseka on several charges of conspiracy,” the Sunday Times said quoting an ‘authoritative legal source’. “This new move, as against indicting him under the normal laws of the land, came after the CID (Criminal Investigations Department) consulted Attorney General, Mr Mohan Peiris,” it said. The charges would include an attempt to topple the government and assassinate the president, as also those related to the alleged defence deals involving his son-in-law.