Sri Lanka court summons Defence Secretary to testify on 'White Flag' case

A Sri Lankan court today ordered the country's Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to appear before the court to testify on the controversial 'white flag' case against former Army Commander and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader Sarath Fonseka.

The Colombo High Courts today ordered Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to appear before courts on January 25 to give evidence on the case.

Fonseka was accused of disclosing state secrets for allegedly telling The Sunday Leader newspaper in an interview that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had ordered the shooting of senior LTTE cadres who tried to surrender to the security forces carrying white flags during the final stages of the war last year.

Rajapaksa is the fourth witness to testify in the trial.

Former Colombo Chief Magistrate Champa Janaki Rajaratne yesterday gave evidence on the notebook that contained notes on Fonseka's original interview with the editor of the newspaper.

The case is being heard before a trial at bar comprising justices Deepali Wijesundara, W. Warawewa and A. Z. Raseem.

The former magistrate told the court that the Editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper, Frederica Jansz had submitted the notebook containing details of the discussion she had with Sarath Fonseka on the alleged white flag incident to her before open court.

The case is to be heard on January 25.