Fonseka alleges friendship between Justice Minister and Senadhipathi

Pic by Pradeep Pathirana

Claiming a conflict of interest, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka yesterday released photographs allegedly showing Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa and Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi along with their families holidaying together in California.

The pictures, which are alleged to have been taken nine years ago, show Rajapaksa with Senadhipathi riding in a limo and sightseeing in the US, Fonseka told reporters.

The former Army Commander challenged the Justice Minister to prove there was no friendship with the Avant-Garde Chairman and insisted the photos proved the existence of a relationship between the two. Fonseka noted his insistence on a conflict of interest had been justified and called on the Justice Minister to deny the photographs.

“We previously insisted that Rajapaksa and Senadhipathi are friends but the Minister made no attempt to deny these allegations. We call on the Minister to reject these allegations and prove there is no friendship in existence,” he said.

Fonseka reiterated his allegation that a few powerful officials including the Justice Minister were attempting to protect the maritime company when a number of others who had contributed to the defeat of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa including himself, Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Patali Champika Ranawaka and Arjuna Ranatunga as well as former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga were being implicated in the scandal by Senadhipathi.

Fonseka denied any relationship with Senadhipathi and rejected allegations of accepting money from him.

“We have spoken only once via the phone. We have never met. He claims that he offered Rs. 30 million to me, which is not true. If I wanted to accept money from others, I would have accepted the offer made by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to give me Rs. 2 billion and a 100 acre coconut land during the presidential election,” he charged.