Brigadier Weerasinghe made this statement when he was questioned by Senior Counsel, Saliya Peiris, when the case against former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka, of harbouring army deserters, was taken up before the Colombo High Court Judge, Sunil Rajapaksa, yesterday.

Peiris, appearing on behalf of Sarath Fonseka, questioned Brig.Weerasinghe as to whether he sent a group of army men to the official residence of Sarath Fonseka to recall those who had been deployed for his security on 25 November, 2009.

Brig.Weerasinghe accepted he had sent a group of army officials to withdraw the security men deployed for the protection of Sarath Fonseka. However, a short while after the men were sent to withdraw Sarath Fonseka’s security, the former army chief had threatened him over the phone that he would shoot him if those officials sent to his residence were not called back immediately from his residence.

Earlier on 17 March, Brig. Weerasinghe told HC Judge Rajapaksa that Maj. Gen Shavendra Silva had ordered him over the phone, to withdraw the army personnel deployed for the security of Sarath Fonseka.

Brig. Weerasinghe also responded saying that he lodged a complaint with the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) regarding the threat he received when he was questioned by Counsel Peiris as to whether he lodged any complaint over the threat he received.

When Brig.Weerasinghe handed over the complaint he lodged with the CCD, Counsel Peiris questioned as to whether he mentioned about the threat he received from Sarath Fonseka in the complaint. Brig.Weerasinghe replied that he did not mention about the threat in the complaint.

Counsel Peiris, continuing with his questions, asked Weerasinghe if Fonseka had threatened to kill him, what prevented him from mentioning about the threat in his complaint to the CCD.Brig.Weerasinghe repeatedly said that he failed to mention about the threat he received from Fonseka.

Meanwhile, the Court refused to release the passport of second accused, Senaka de Silva, who was seeking permission to go abroad in order to receive medical treatment at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.

The Court refused to submit the passport after the Attorney General’s Department informed them about the bail terms on the second accused by the Court of Appeal, and that the second accused should not be allowed to leave the country.

Counsel Upul Jayasuriya, appearing on behalf of the second accused, filed the application on 22 June to obtain approval for his client, Senaka de Silva, to go abroad to receive medical treatment.

Fonseka, and his personal assistant pleaded not guilty to 41 charges including charges of mutiny and insubordination before the Colombo High Court, previously. The Attorney General indicted the two accused with 41 charges, including charges of mutiny, insubordination and harbouring army deserters during the last Presidential Election.