10 February 2010 05:00 am
Detained retired General Sarath Fonseka has been without medication for 24 hours while in the custody of the Military Police, his lawyer told Daily Mirror online after visiting the General last night.
“Due to the injuries he sustained from a suicide attack there has been damage to his liver. Thereby he needs to have medication every 6 hours, however until the time we visited him last night (9th) he had been without his medicine,” Wijedasa Rajapksa told Daily Mirror Online.
The wife of the General, Anoma Fonseka and his lawyer was allowed to visit the General at the Navy Junior Officers condominium, near the port, according to Wijedasa Rajapaksa. This visit had been granted following a request made by the representatives and family of the General to a number of foreign embassies in the country and humanitarian organizations, including the ICRC.
During the visit that lasted three hours Mrs. Fonseka and Mr. Wijedasa had been closely monitored by the 10 Military Police officers guarding the former Army Commander.
Fonseka had not consumed water or food provided by those detaining him. “He only broke his fast after meeting with us and had the food and water that we took for him,” Wijedasa said.
Wijedasa confirmed that the General had sustained no injuries during his arrest.
Wijedasa stated that a fundamental rights case would be filed during the course of the day, in addition to a protest to ensure the well being and quick release of the former Chief of Defence staff.
"An officer informed me that we would be told of the next meeting after consulting with and getting the approval of the Army commander" Wijeydasa said.
The Secretary to the General, Senaka De Silva had also been taken into custody by the Military Police has now been handed over to the CID, according to Wijeydasa.
Meanwhile the Army said that Military Police personnel who went to take former Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka into custody on charges of military offences have neither beaten him nor harassed him on that occasion as reported in a section of the Media.
Military Police personnel on reaching the place of arrest informed General Fonseka of their intended arrest but he repeatedly rejected to comply with the process, compelling those Military Police personnel to take him out despite his remarks and refusals, the Army website said.
Medical care as well as all other facilities has been made available to General Fonseka as required contrary to claims published in certain media reports, the Army said.
Legal proceedings in accordance with Article 57 (1) of the Army Act are to be instituted against General Fonseka, now in military custody.
(Daily Mirror online)