Former Army Chief Gen. (retd) Sarath Fonseka will face seven separate charges pertaining to his alleged involvement in politics while being in active service and irregularities in procurement of arms.

Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Prasad Samarasinghe yesterday said that there would be two courts martial, though both comprised same members holding the rank of Major General.

Addressing the media at the Media Centre for National Security, he said that H. L. Weeratunga (President), A. L. R. Wijetunga (member) and B. A. R. B. Jayatilleke (member) would try Fonseka. Rear Admiral W. W. J. S. Fernando, the senior most officer of the Sri Lanka Navy’s legal branch would function as the Judge Advocate General.

Maj. Gen. Weeratunga is Director General of Budget and Financial Management. Wijetunga is the Quarter Master General and Colonel Commandant of Mechanical Engineers while

Jayatilleke functions as the Colonel Commandant of the Sinha Regiment. Jayatilleke succeeded Fonseka as the Colonel Commandant of the Sinha Regiment at the end of the war.

According to Maj. Gen Samarasinghe, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed the members on the recommendation of Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya.

Contrary to media reports, President Mahinda Rajapaksa didn’t appoint SLAF Commander Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke, the senior most serving security forces chief to head the inquiry. The President also didn’t accommodate former Army Commanders, Rohan Daluwatte and Shantha Kottegoda as speculated by a section of the media.

Responding to a query by The Island, Maj. Gen. Samarasinghe said that four senior officers had been recommended as possible replacement if former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) objected to the appointment of some members. He declined to name the replacements.

Of the seven charges, three would deal with Fonseka’s alleged involvement in politics while being in active service, he said. The remaining charges would cover allegations regarding alleged irregularities in procurement, he said. Asked whether the Army had dropped much publicised conspiracy charges and an attempt to overthrow the government immediately after the January 26 presidential election, Samarasimnghe said that the Army had never levelled such charges against the former Army Chief. He declined to comment on the ongoing CID investigations on other allegations against Gen. (retd) Fonseka.