The former army commander has no army rank now and should not be called general, Parliament was informed today.

Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena, said in response to an oral question raised by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake in the House, that Mr. Fonseka was cashiered on 13.8.2010 by a court martial, and sentenced by another court martial to a prison term of two and half years on 29.9.2010. “When an officer is cashiered he is .stripped of his rank. When an officer is sentenced to prison he is not eligible for a pension. Thus Mr. Sarath Fonseka is not entitled or to use his former rank of general,” said Mr. Gunawardena.

With regard to Mr. Fonseka’s release from prison in May 2012, he said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had reduced the duration of his sentence under the article 34 of the Constitution.

He said case No.5331/2010 which was being heard in the Colombo High Court was the only case pending against Mr.  Fonseka.
He said no police or military personnel were persecuted or discharged for assisting or working with Mr. Fonseka (Yohan Perera)