SL: Fonseka arrested, faces court-martial

Colombo, Feb 9: After suffering a defeat in the recently concluded presidential elections, General Sarath Fonseka is suffering humiliation as he may be court-martialled.

The former army chief was arrested on Monday, Feb 8 night by the army and is likely to be court-martialled for military offences committed while he was in service, said news reports quoting Defence spokesman Maj Gen Prasad Samarasinghe.

The humiliation for the defeated poll candidate started with the arrest as he was beaten and dragged out of his office here. Fonseka's media secretary Senaka de Silva was also arrested.

Even though the army maintains that Fonseka has been arrested for "certain fraudulent acts and other military offences committed by him," there are reports that he is believed to have been arrested for plotting an alleged coup against President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The retired 59-year-old four-star general lost the elections to incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa. He stood for elections hoping to gain from the credit he has been given for leading the army against Liberabation of Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) and killing the Tiger chief V Prabhakaran.

OneIndia News