News

‘With or without his 4 stars the people will support him’

  • Anoma Fonseka pooh poohs verdict
  • Says neither she nor her husband will appeal to the President to rescind the sentence of the court
By Chandani Kirinde

When former Army Commander General (retd.) Sarath Fonseka was informed by the military court on Friday that he had been found guilty of engaging in political work while in active service; his reaction was to reject the findings of the tribunal.

“Three Major Generals and one Rear Admiral cannot convict a General under the law. It has never happened anywhere in the world and it cannot happen here either,” were his words as the first Court Martial probing charges against him concluded with a guilty verdict.

It did not come as a surprise to either General Fonseka or his family members who had resigned themselves to such a conclusion since the day the tribunal began its work in mid-March. “My husband was expecting this verdict and so were our two daughters and I. It is a one sided inquiry and a one sided judgment,” Anoma Fonseka told the Sunday Times.

She had met General Fonseka a short while earlier when she had taken his dinner to the Navy Headquarters in Colombo where he is being held. “Despite the guilty verdict, he is in high sprits.

owever he did not expect the verdict to come so soon because his defence counsel are on leave due to court vacation. But he always knew the court martial inquiry would go against him,” she said.

Counsel for General Fonseka had informed the military court that they would be on leave from August 9 to 13 as courts were on vacation but the tribunal continued its sittings last week and wound up by Friday.
“My husband was given a telephone and asked to consult his lawyers on Friday morning before the verdict was announced. He had spoken to them but they had already asked for a recess which had been disregarded by the military court,” Mrs.Fonseka said.

During the course of the interview, Mrs. Fonseka received several calls including one from her daughter in the U.S.A. to get details of the military court’s ruling.

“They can withdraw his rank and remove his stars but the people remember the service he has done for this country. With or without the rank of “General” and with or without the four stars, people will continue to support him,” she said.

An article in a particular Sinhala newspaper had caught the attention of General Fonseka as the news of his sentence sank in. It was one advising him on how to get out of the quagmire he is in, but not one that he will ever choose to comply with.

“Neither my husband nor I will appeal to the President to rescind the sentence of the court. The worst is far from over for us but one day we will be vindicated,” she said.

Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
 
Other News Articles
Executive Presidency to stay
President ratifies stripping of Fonseka
EU suspends GSP Plus; govt. won’t budge
Lanka seeks Singapore funds to bail out SriLankan Airlines
Bathing ban on Yala visitors
India delays visit of Lankan delegation
Who’s stripping whom?
Galle incidents: JVP, Police seek redress
Court Martial verdict a black mark on our history: UNP
Tax officers under pressure, demand action and protection
Capri Club president, deputy found guilty of breaking rules
Matara people seek justice after police vehicle kills mother of two
Indian chef’s killing: Police await postmortem report
Depositors demand scrutiny of Sakvithi associates’ assets
Rathugala resident wants burial site returned to Veddahs
‘With or without his 4 stars the people will support him’
Bit by bit, the water will be let in
Red tape round foreign jobs a necessary pain
Power from nitrogen
Don't cringe; stand up for what is right: Top judge tells journalists
US trade union giant targets Lankan export firms
Garment workers torn apart as GSP Plus is withdrawn
Tiger arms unearthed on tip-off
Fowl farm, foul smell
Gang of fake cops and real cops fleeced passengers in eight -year run aboard North-bound trains
2002 CFA and reconciliation steps under scrutiny
Tamil migrants sail to uncertainty
Lanka warns Canada: Tigers among refugees in ship

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 2010 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved.| Site best viewed in IE ver 6.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution