September 20, 2010 8:35 PM

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Ranil urges Rajapaksa not to approve 2nd court martial verdict on Fonseka

Sri Lankan Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremsinghe has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa today not to approve the second court martial verdict on Former Army Commander and DNA leader Sarath Fonseka.Mr. Wickremsinghe said that the ruling would affect the parliamentary privileges of MP Fonseka if approved by the President.The second court marital against former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka last Friday held him guilty of corrupt deals and has reportedly recommended that he be sentenced to prison term not exceeding three years.The recommendation is subject to approval by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mr. Rajapaksa is away from the island nation to attend the UN General Assembly session, scheduled to be held this week.The military court found Fonseka guilty of violating tender procedure while in the Army and favoring an arms company run by his son-in-law.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 and unsuccessfully tried to unseat President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the January Presidential polls.Fonseka’s lawyer has said that the former Army Chief will go to the Court of Appeals against the verdict.

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