Priyasath Dep

Justice Priyasath Dep PC (Sinhala: ප්‍රියසාත් ඩෙප් ; born October 1953) is a Sri Lankan judge and lawyer. He was the 45th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka and a former Solicitor General of Sri Lanka.[1]

The Honourable Justice Priyasath Dep PC
ප්‍රියසාත් ඩෙප්
45th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
In office 2 March 2017 – 12 October 2018
Appointed by	Maithripala Sirisena
Preceded by	K. Sripavan
Succeeded by	Nalin Perera
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
In office 10 July 2011 – 2 March 2017
Appointed by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
40th Solicitor General of Sri Lanka
In office 2007–2011
Appointed by	Chandrika Kumaratunga
Preceded by	C. R. De Silva
Succeeded by	Eva Wansundera
Personal details
Born	October 1953
Alma mater	University of Colombo International Institute of Social Studies

Early life and education

Dep's father was Arthur C. Dep a police officer, who retired as a Deputy Inspector General of Police. Educated at St. Joseph's College, Colombo, where he excelled in studies, athletics, rugby, and soccer. Dep obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies at the University of Colombo. He represented the university in rugby and cricket.

Legal career

Studying law at the Sri Lanka Law College, he was called to bar in October 1976 and began his legal practice. In January 1978, he joined the Attorney General's Department as a State Counsel. In February 1989 he was promoted to Senior State Counsel and in February 1996 he was promoted to Deputy Solicitor General and Additional Solicitor General in October 1999. He was appointed a President's Counsel in April 2000. In 2007, he was appointed Solicitor General and served in this post till 2011. During his tenure in the Attorney General’s Department, Dep won a scholarship by the Dutch Government that enabled him to acquire a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Law at the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague. As a prosecutor he was involved in the Amarapala (Deputy Director of Customs) Murder case, Inoka Sevwandi Murder and the Sujith Prasanna Perera (Superintendent of Customs) Murder. He had served as the head of the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Department.[2]

Judaical career

In 2011, he left the Attorney General’s Department, when he was appointed to a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.[3] On February 27, 2017 he was nominated by the Constitutional Council as the 45th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka and was sworn in in March.[4]

References

1. "Sri Lanka named two new Supreme Court judges". Asian Tribune. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
2. At a glance: Sri Lanka’s 45th CJ Priyasath Dep
3. Malalasekera, Sarath. "Judge's role pivotal in administering justice". Dailynews.lk. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
4. http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/02/28/local/108967/priyasad-dep-new-chief-justice