SF quoted out of context - Karu

4 July 2011 10:42 am Views - 6105

By T. Farook Thajudeen

The Sunday Leader newspaper article under the headline,“Gota ordered them to be shot” has been taken out of context, United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader and parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya told the white flag Trial-at-Bar today.

Mr. Jayasuriya, giving evidence before the Bench comprising Judges Deepali Wijesundera (President), W.M.P.B. Warawewa and M.Z. Razeen said he was at present the UNP Deputy Leader and had been a Cabinet Minister on several occasions.

He said he had served in the Sri Lanka Army and was a businessman by profession and added that the UNP, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and several other political parties supported the candidature of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka for the presidency at the election in 2009.
Mr. Jayasuriya said he acted as the coordinator between the UNP and retired General Fonseka and as such had occasion to visit his office regularly.
He said on reading the Sunday Leader article on the white flag incident he contacted General Fonseka who told Mr. Jayasuriya that he had been quoted out of context.
 
Due to a power failure the case had to be postponed at this stage.

Judge Warawewa said the authorities had spent eight million to put up a car park and on other unnecessary expenses but had failed to purchase a generator to be used in case of a power failure. He said there were between 20 and 30 judges in the court complex but due to the regular power failure they, the litigants and court staff faced many hardships.

DSG Buwaneka Aluvihare with state counsel Dilan Ratnayake, Riaz Bary and Lakmini Girihagama appeared for the prosecution while counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty with Niroshana Perera, U.LG. Bandara, Prema Pothupitiya, Kelum Ubeysekera, Namal Rajapaksa Chatura Amarasinghe and Asela Muthuhettigama instructed by Paul Ratnayake Associates appeared for the defense.