Former Sri Lankan military commanders questioned by police

Colombo:  Five former top military officers, who were rewarded by the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa regime for their gallantry in crushing the LTTE’s separatist movement, were on Wednesday questioned by Sri Lankan police over their role as diplomats and indulging in political work.
The former Rajapaksa regime came under criticism for militarising Sri Lanka’s diplomatic service when they appointed military high rankers to missions overseas.
The new Maithripala Sirisena government seeks to depoliticise the foreign service with more places being given to career diplomats. Police’s Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) questioned former Army Commander Shantha Kottegoda, two former Navy Commanders Wasantha Karannagoda and Thisara Samarasinghe and the former Airforce Commander Jayalath Weerakkody on their roles as Sri Lankan diplomats and indulging in political work, officials said.
The FCID also questioned J K Wijesiri, a retired Army Major General. Kottegoda was posted as Ambassador to Thailand while Weerakkody was High Commissioner in Pakistan. Karannagoda was the Ambassador in Japan while Samarasinghe served in Canberra as High Commissioner and Wijesiri was a Minister Counsellor in Tokyo. (PTI)