J. F. A. Soza

Deshabandu Justice Joseph Francis Anthony Soza is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. Justice Soza was born on February 4th 1919, in Negombo, Sri Lanka.

Education and Judicial Career

A graduate in arts and law from the University of London, Justice Soza enrolled as an advocate after completing his studies at the Sri Lanka Law College, where he went on to become President of the Students' Union.

Following a brief stint as a lawyer, he commenced his distinguished judicial career as a magistrate in Badulla. After serving the original courts as magistrate, district judge and high court judge he was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 1978. In January 1982 President J. R. Jayawardene appointed him as Judge of the Supreme Court.

He retired from judicial service in February 1984.

Landmark Judgments

As high court judge of Colombo and chairman of the trial-at-bar that tried TULF Leader Appapillai Amirthalingam, Justice Soza created a major furor by holding invalid the emergency regulations under which the case was filed.

In the Supreme Court he was widely known for his illuminating judgments especially concerning fundamental rights. He wrote the landmark opinion in the Vivienne Goonewardena assault case, in which it was declared that the Police infringed the petitioner’s freedom of expression. Incensed by the judgment, pro-Police hooligans stoned the residences of the three judges who tried the case, including Justice Soza.

Other Contributions and Post-Retirement

Justice Soza was the Editor-in-Chief of the Sri Lanka Law Reports for more than 25 years (1979-2005). As the Founder Director of the Sri Lanka Judges' Institute, he played a major role in the training of judicial officers in the country. As the first Chairman of the Human Rights Task Force (now known as the Human Rights Commission) during the post-insurgency period 1991-1994, he was responsible for investigating cases of human rights abuse by state authorities. Among his celebrated disclosures were the Embilipitiya Students' Disappearance case.

He was also Chairman of the Sri Lanka Foundation and a member of several Presidential Commissions of Inquiry. President Premadasa conferred on him the national honour Deshabandu in recognition of his distinguished service to the country.

In his book "Rendering Unto Caesar", acclaimed civil servant Bradman Weerakoon describes Justice Soza as "an outstandingly independent judge" who "turned out to be a fearless and vocal defender of the rights of victimized people."

References

* A. R. B. Amerasinghe. Supreme Court of Sri Lanka - its first 185 years. Sarvodaya Vishva Lekha.
* Bradman Weerakoon. Rendering Unto Caesar. New Dawn Press. 2004.

ee also

*Supreme Court of Sri Lanka