Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has approved the verdict of the second military court martial which sentenced the former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka to a 30 month jail term. The military court found Fonseka guilty of violating tender procedures in procurements for the army. The court martial recommended the sentence on September 17, but the President was away from the country attending the UN General Assembly in New York delaying the implementation of the sentence. Our Correspondent quoting military sources says, Mr. Fonseka would now be transferred from the Naval Headquarters to Welikada prisons to serve the jail term. On the other hand, Fonseka’s lawyers said, they were awaiting confirmation of the approval to move the court of appeal. The former Army Commander Chief was accused of favouring his son in law Danuna Tilakaratne who had tendered through his company Hicorp Pvt Ltd to supply items to the army. Last month, Fonseka was stripped of his rank and pension after another court found him guilty of indulging in politics while in uniform. Sarath Fonseka had led the Sri Lankan military to victory over Tamil Tiger rebels in May last year but later fell out with the government after he unsuccessfully tried to unseat President Rajapaksa at the January Presidential polls.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has approved the verdict of the second military court martial which sentenced the former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka to a 30 month jail term. The military court found Fonseka guilty of violating tender procedures in procurements for the army. The court martial recommended the sentence on September 17, but the President was away from the country attending the UN General Assembly in New York delaying the implementation of the sentence. Our Correspondent quoting military sources says, Mr. Fonseka would now be transferred from the Naval Headquarters to Welikada prisons to serve the jail term. On the other hand, Fonseka’s lawyers said, they were awaiting confirmation of the approval to move the court of appeal. The former Army Commander Chief was accused of favouring his son in law Danuna Tilakaratne who had tendered through his company Hicorp Pvt Ltd to supply items to the army. Last month, Fonseka was stripped of his rank and pension after another court found him guilty of indulging in politics while in uniform. Sarath Fonseka had led the Sri Lankan military to victory over Tamil Tiger rebels in May last year but later fell out with the government after he unsuccessfully tried to unseat President Rajapaksa at the January Presidential polls.