Sri Lanka court frees ex-army chief’s aides

COLOMBO - The magistrate’s court of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo ordered the release of four aides of the former army chief Sarath Fonseka who was convicted of corruption and conspiring to topple the country’s government.

Two retired Major Generals, a Brigadier and a journalist were also charged with conspiracy to topple the government while associating with Fonseka. However, the court ordered their release Friday on advice of the attorney general who dropped charges against them, Xinhua reported.

They had been arrested in February along with Fonseka but given bail in May.

Fonseka is still under military custody and now faces a jail sentence after being convicted by two military courts.

The former general who led Sri Lankan army in the successful battle against the LTTE rebels last year challenged President Mahinda Rajapaksa in this year’s presidential election held in January.

Rajapaksa defeated Fonseka but the former army chief won a seat in the legislature in the April parliamentary election.