SF indicted for mutiny

23 January 2012 10:34 pm

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and his personal assistant Senaka Haripriya de Silva were yesterday indicted at the Colombo High Court on charges of having committed mutiny and insubordination and harbouring army deserters.

Mr. Fonseka and Mr. de Silva pleaded not guilty to 41 charges after the High Court’s Interpreter Mudliyar S.A.M. Nafli read out the indictments.

Senior State Counsel Damith Totawatte, who prosecuted requested Court permission to amend the indictment by making certain cosmetic changes.

However, Senior Counsel Upul Jayasuriya who appeared for the second accused Senaka Haripriya De Silva said he wanted to raise certain objections to the said amendments.

The court directed the defence counsel to make the objections in January when the case would be taken up again.

The court asked the defence counsel whether they consented to hearing the two cases -- Hi Corp case and that of harbouring Army Deserters -- by the same High Court judge.

The defence counsel informed court that even though they did not object to the hearing of the two cases by the same judge their decision would be made known on the next date after consulting the clients.

The case was postponed for January 21.

When the case was taken up before High Court Judge Sunil Rajapaksa, Army Brigadier C.J.A. Weerasinghe, Colonel C.S. Atipola and Lieutenant Colonel M.T.R. Premalal were present in court to give evidence for the prosecution.

The Attorney General indicted the accused under Sections 128 and 133 of the Penal code for committing mutiny and insubordination and for harbouring army deserters by knowing or having reason to believe that the army officers had deserted the Army. (T. Farook Thajudeen)