The three-member military panel will reportedly ask President Rajapaksa if the charge of making irregular military purchases should be heard at the same time as that of engaging in political activity before retiring from the army.

On Tuesday, General Fonseka, accompanied by a team of civilian lawyers, appeared before a three-member panel in a military court on this latter charge.

The court-martial proceedings at the navy headquarters in the capital Colombo lasted for nearly three hours. No journalists were allowed to attend the closed-door trial.

The panel then scheduled the next hearing for April 6.

The 59-year-old retired general lost a presidential election to current President Mahinda Rajapaksa in January. He was arrested last month amid allegations that he was plotting a coup against the government.

How legitimate is the military court?

General Fonseka has denied all the charges and said they are politically motivated. His supporters and rights group say they were trumped up to prevent him from running in parliamentary elections next month.

Fonseka's lawyers argued that the former army chief's trial was illegal because he resigned from the military in November to contest January's presidential elections.

One of them said that the general was "neither pleading 'guilty' nor 'not guilty' because the court has no power to hear and try these charges".

Fonseka's lawyers also accused the members of the military tribunal of being biased.

Protests against the court-martial

Hundreds of Fonseka's supporters protested against his arrest and the court-martial proceedings on Tuesday. They blocked traffic in Panadura, a town some 30 kilometers (18 miles) away from Colombo. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd and arrested at least 10 people.

General Fonseka and President Rajapaksa were allies in the war against Tamil Tiger separatists that ended last year but soon fell out over who should claim credit for the military victory.

act/du/AFP/AP/Reuters/dpa
Editor: Anne Thomas