Sri Lanka jails ex-army chief Fonseka
Sarath Fonseka
A court martial in Sri Lanka convicted former army chief Sarath Fonseka on Friday of corrupt military supply deals and sentenced him to three years in jail, a top military official told AFP.
The military court, whose decision must now be ratified by President Mahinda Rajapakse, found that Fonseka favoured an arms company run by his son-in-law, the official said, asking not to be named.
Last month, Fonseka was stripped of his rank and pension after another court found him guilty of dabbling in politics while in uniform.
Fonseka, 59, who led the military to victory over Tamil Tiger rebels in May last year, fell out with the government and unsuccessfully tried to unseat Rajapakse in January polls.
"The chairman of the court read out its decision and it must now be ratified by the president," the official said, adding that the closed-door court would make no formal announcement.
Rajapakse is expected to ratify the decision -- seen as a formality -- when he returns from the United Nations general assembly session this month.
Fonseka's lawyers had refused to make final submissions in the former army chief's defence after accusing the court of serious irregularities.
Fonseka was arrested two weeks after his defeat in the presidential elections and has remained in military custody since. He won a seat in parliamentary elections in April, however, allowing him to attend parliament.
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