A court martial in Sri Lanka on Friday held the former Army Chief, Sarath Fonseka, guilty on all four counts in a case related to the procurement of arms by the Army in violation of the tender procedures, and reportedly recommended that he be jailed for three years.
Director-General of the Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hulugalle told a news conference that the punishment would be subject to approval of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the supreme commander of the armed forces.
Mr. Rajapaksa is away from Sri Lanka. He is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly next week.
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Gen.(retd.) Fonseka, now under military detention after two separate court martial proceedings against him, was stripped of all his ranks and pension a few weeks ago by the first court martial that convicted him of the charge of dabbling in politics while being in uniform.
Mr. Hulugalle said Gen. Fonseka was found guilty of the charges of purchase of night vision devices, generators, batteries and equipment for VHS direction finders from a firm with which his son-in-law was associated.
Gen. Fonseka successfully led the Sri Lankan military in the war against the LTTE, which ended in May last year.
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