Land rover accident bares Sarath Fonseka’s longstanding plan to challenge his commander - in - chief

The army vehicle, condemned on the pressure of the former commander and subsequently bought in the auction, shows the deep manipulative moves and the cunning preparations of the former commander, to challenge his commander- in- chief, while he was in the active service.

The deceitfulness of the man suddenly came to light after a land rover accident.

On the 6th January, at the Koswatte Junction, located in the Hettipola Police area, a land rover met with an accident. The accident clearly revealed the behind the scene moves of the former army commander and the careful preparations he made to challenge his commander in chief.

According to a police report, the land rover in question was on its way back to Colombo from Trincomalee, after participating in Sarath Fonseka’s election campaign.

At Koswatte junction, the land rover met with an accident with a motorcycle, a face to face one, at 23.20 hrs on 06 January.

The motorcyclist Hittihamy Mudiyanslage Buddhika Santhamal – age 27 yrs, was knocked down and was first admitted to the Wariyapola hospital and as his condition was bad, he was moved to the hospital at Kurunegalle.

The land rover bearing number KK 2829, one of the vehicles, used in Sarath Fonseka’s election campaign, was driven by Warrant Officer 1 L.A. Gunapala, a retired Army Officer , who was reemployed under the pay and pension scheme.

In the vehicle that met with the accident, there were 4 soldiers, out of them one in uniform and rest in civil.

At the police investigation, it was revealed that the owner of the vehicle as Subodah Manohara Vithanage, of 909/9 Adikaram Mawatha , Ettulkotte, Kotte, a relative of the UNP strongman Ravi Karunanayake.

It was further revealed, earlier the same land rover belonged to the Sri Lanka Army. The army registration number was UHA 8720.

It is now learnt that former army commander Sarath Fonseka pressurized the Army Board to condemn the same vehicle and was put on auction for disposal.

Suboda Manohara Vithanage bought the vehicle in auction at Rs. 776, 250.

At present, slowly thing are coming out to light, that so many vehicles belonging to the army, which were in very good running conditions were condemned on the pressure exerted by the commander and in the guise auctions, they were disposed dirt cheap to his people, to make use of them during the presidential campaign.

The police produced the vehicle, the driver and the soldiers before the Magistrate at Wariyapola and they were released on bail.

The land rover is back and is now being used again in Sarath Fonseka’s election campaign.

- Asian Tribune -