Sri Lanka: Fonseka's court martial postponed

The hearing of court martial proceedings against General Sarath Fonseka was on Tuesday postponed following restrictions by the Supreme Court's Court of Appeal, two days before parliamentary elections in which the former Army Chief is a candidate.

Fonseka was to appear before the two court martials appointed to look into charges against him today, but proceedings of both the panels were postponed.

"The hearing was postponed as the appeal court had said no forward movement could be made in this case," General Secretary of the Fonseka-led Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Vijitha Herath told PTI.

'The Appeal Court order on March 31 was clear that General Court Martial cannot be held until the Court of Appeal decision is delivered on May 3,' the Daily Mirror quoted legal sources to say.

According to a lawyer, the first court martial will be held on May 5. Sources said the second court martial will be held on April 9, a day after the general elections.

59-year-old Fonseka, who led the Sri Lankan forces to a comprehensive win over the LTTE in May last year, was detained by the Army in February and appeared before the first court martial on March 17. He had then dismissed the proceedings calling it "illegal".

Various charges like indulging in politics while still in uniform and irregularities in defence procurement have been slapped against him.

Fonseka's lawyers have appealed in the civil court against the court martial proceedings.

Fonseka, who suffered defeat at the hands of Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Presidential Polls, is contesting in the Parliamentary elections from Colombo district.