Sri Lankan court to try former Army chief for harboring deserters

A Sri Lankan court has set a trial date to hear the case against former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and his secretary Senaka Haripriya de Silva for harboring army deserters during the last Presidential election.
The Colombo High Court has decided to continue with the case against the former army commander who was released from a three-year prison term by a presidential pardon on May 21. The state counsel has requested the court to issue summons for the witnesses in the case and accordingly the High Court judge Sunil Rajapaksa has decided to hear the case on June 21. Fonseka was present at the court when the judge gave his order. The state has charged Fonseka and his personal assistant Senaka Haripriya de Silva mainly for harboring 10 army deserters during his presidential election campaign, paying them wages, conspiring against the government to commit mutiny and insubordination to the government. Both Fonseka and de Silva have pleaded not guilty to all charges earlier.