Shyamlal Rajapaksa

Shyamlal Rajapaksa (July 11, 1966–2009) was a Sri Lankan lawyer. He was a prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.^[1]

Early life and education

Born to George Rajapakse, former Cabinet Minister of Fisheries, Member of Parliament and Lalitha Rajapakse, prominent socialite and the first Lady President of the Lanka-Japan Friendship Society. Rajapaksa had one sister Nirupama Rajapaksa, current Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Water Supply and Drainage. He was the nephew of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Educated at Royal College, Colombo, he gained a LLB from the University of Buckingham and was called to bar at from the Lincoln's Inn. Soon after he gained a LLM from SOAS, University of London. Qualified as a Barrister, he was enrolled as Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.

Career

Rajapakse started his practice in the Chambers of President’s Counsel, Daya Perera. He stood for first elections for the Southern Provincial Council from his father’s old electorate and won in the 1980s.

In 1993 joined the Attorney-General's Department as a State Counsel. In this capacity he prosecuted criminal cases in the High Courts of Anuradhapura, Badulla, Galle, Balapitiya and Ratnapura.

Resigning from the Attorney-General's Department in 1999 joined the United Nations going on to serve in the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda as a prosecutor.

Death

He was found dead in this residence in Arusha and his final rites took place in Colombo.

Family

He was married to Prashanthi, a former state counsel and prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague.

See also

• List of political families in Sri Lanka

References

External links

• Tribute to Shyamlal Rajapaksa