Fonseka may be convicted to prevent him entering Parliament

Fonseka may be convicted by early next week to prevent him from taking oath as a lawmaker,his party alleged.

Detained former Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka may be convicted by early next week to prevent him from taking oath as a lawmaker,his party alleged today.

“We strongly suspect a court martial convened on Monday would convict him (Fonseka) by Thursday to prevent his entry into Parliament to take oath,” Anura Kumara Dissanayake,a senior leader of the Marxist JVP,said here.

Fonseka won a seat,while in custody to the Parliament in the just concluded General Elections in Sri Lanka as a Democratic National Alliance candidate from Colombo.

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Labelling the court martial against Fonseka as illegal,Dissanayake charged that the government would try to prevent the Sri Lankan war hero from recounting his incarceration ordeal and allege political vendetta.

“We are sending letters to the Army Chief and the Parliamentary secretary urging them to take steps to facilitate Fonseka to come to Parliament,” the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader said.

Dissanayake said the Fonseka’s counsel have opposed the team of judges named for the Second Court Martial and wanted the powerful Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to be called to testify.

Meanwhile,Fonseka’s wife Anoma has complained that the health of her husband has deteriorated as he is being confined in a poorly ventilated room.

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“His (Fonseka’s) speech is not clear. A specialist doctor examined him. The medicines alone will not be enough. The atmosphere where he is should be more ventilated. His room is stuffy,” Anoma told a press conference.

A senior chest specialist,who examined Fonseka has prescribed medicines to treat the general for first stage of bronchitis,she said.