(UTV|COLOMBO) – The extended general amnesty period offered to Army absentees (Absent Without Leave) to receive their legal discharge after reporting to their respective Regimental Headquarters ends on Wednesday (22).
A total of 10,112 Army deserters, including 12 Officers, 9 Officer Cadets and 10,091 Other Rankers by Tuesday afternoon (21) have reported back to receive their legal discharge accordingly from respective Headquarters.
Upon expiry of the final day of the extended amnesty period, island-wide law enforcing authorities have been advised to launch operations to nab the remainder of those absentees in hiding.
Provision of employment or harbouring any Army absentee or deserter amounts to breach of existing law in the country and is an offence punishable in Court as per section 133 of the Penal Code.
The general amnesty for legal discharge came into effect on 23 October on a decision made by the Ministry of Defence and the Commander of the Army.
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