Court Martial adjourns sittings

17 March 2010 06:24 am

The second Court Martial which convened today to hear charges over the alleged contravention of military procurement procedures by General Sarath Fonseka, adjourned sittings over the composition of the tribunal, the army said in a statement.

The second Court Martial assembled at Navy Headquarters this morning to hear the charges but later unanimously decided to adjourn its sittings and refer the composition of the tribunal to convening authorities.  

The tribune, considering submissions maintained that although the provisions in the Army Act empower same members of one Court Martial to sit for another tribunal, provided alleged prosecuting charges are of different nature, it prefers to be reconvened for the sake of maintaining high degree of transparency and unprejudiced nature. The sittings were therefore adjourned until further notice, the army said. (Daily Mirror online)