Colombo, Sri Lanka(CNN) -- Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka's former armed forces chief who led troops to defeat Tamil Tiger rebels last year, has been moved to a high security prison, officials said Friday.
Fonseka, who was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for "disgraceful conduct" in military procurements Thursday, was taken to Colombo's Welikade prison.
Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told CNN that the conduct of the military court was illegal. He said that the opposition would "conduct protests countrywide" and also raise the issue with world leaders.
Defense Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa -- under whom Fonseka led the military campaign against Tamil Tiger rebels -- was quoted in the English newspaper Island on Friday as saying his brother, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, would consider any appeal Fonseka makes.
But, Rajapaksa told the newspaper, appeals by others would be of no avail. Several leading members of the Buddhist clergy has appealed for Fonseka's release.
CNN
