Former Sri Lankan army chief to be tried for mutiny

Colombo: Former Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka, who was released from jail a few weeks ago, and his personal assistant will be tried for harbouring army deserters and mutiny during the 2010 presidential election. The trial for the country’s first four-star general and Senaka Haripriya de Silva will begin June 21, the former army official’s attorney told Xinhua.[caption id=“attachment_335903” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Former Sri Lanka army chief Sarath Fonseka. Reuters”]  [/caption] Fonseka entered politics as President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s main opponent after leading the country’s three-decade-long civil war to victory in 2009 against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Fonseka, who was jailed following his election defeat in 2010, was freed on a conditional presidential pardon 21 May. On Thursday, Fonseka made his first appearance in court after receiving the conditional pardon, which freed him from jail but prevents from engaging in politics for more than five years. IANS