Exclusive: Files from Colombo and London suggest the former first son’s education was financed by public money—and his degree may not even exist.
(Lanka-ew-Nes -19.Nov.2025, 8.50 PM) In a revelation that adds yet another chapter to the long, murky saga of the Rajapaksa family’s entanglement with state resources, an extensive investigation by The Sunday Times has uncovered fresh evidence suggesting that Namal Rajapaksa’s UK education was partly funded by Sri Lankan taxpayers—and facilitated by a London-based Tamil hotelier with links to the family.
But that is only the beginning.
A deeper excavation of documents from London, Colombo, and the Sri Lanka Law College shows that Namal was likely never eligible for Law College admission, his degree certificate appears irregular, and key dates and signatures linked to his UK qualification simply do not match historical records.
Sixteen years after his entry into Law College, the truth surrounding his academic credentials is more opaque—and more politically explosive—than ever.
According to hotel records, immigration declarations, and statements from individuals familiar with Namal’s stay, the young MP was accommodated free of charge by a Tamil businessman who owns a string of budget hotels in Dover and resides in Bromley, Kent.
This businessman—whose family maintained business ties with Sri Lankan administrations since the early 2000s—provided both accommodation and logistical support to Rajapaksa during his time in the UK.
Multiple former employees at the Dover property confirmed that “a VIP Sri Lankan student” stayed periodically under arrangements that “didn’t involve billing”.
When asked why a Tamil businessman would bankroll the son of Mahinda Rajapaksa—the same government accused of heavy militarisation in the north—one former associate stated:
“It was an investment. Access to the family meant protection and opportunity. That’s why the expenses never appeared in the books.”
These revelations raise new questions about the source of funds covering Namal’s tuition and lifestyle in London. Interviews with Sri Lankan finance officials and a leaked memo from the Treasury suggest that a special fund under the Ministry of Youth Affairs—then headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa—allocated “educational support” to “foreign-based leadership trainees.”
Namal’s name appears informally in handwritten annotations.
The Sri Lanka Law College typically requires a rigorous verification process for foreign academic qualifications. This process can take weeks or months, involving:
confirmation from the foreign university,
authentication of transcripts,
and internal evaluation by the Council of Legal Education.
Yet, in Namal’s case, his application was received and approved on the same day—25 September 2009.
A senior Law College official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told:
“No foreign applicant is cleared the same day. It is administratively and procedurally impossible. Unless, of course, a political instruction overrode the process.”
Why the rush? According to documents we obtained, City University of London’s law degree was not even recognised by Law College at the time of his admission.
Recognition came 20 days later, on 15 October 2009—an extraordinary coincidence.
1. No Degree Certificate in the Law College File
RTI responses from Sri Lanka Law College confirm they never received a copy of Namal’s degree certificate.
Only his transcript was submitted.
Under Law College rules, no applicant can be admitted without a degree certificate.
Yet admission was granted.
2. The Certificate Used Later Contains a Suspicious Signature
When Namal later applied for a master’s degree at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, his file did include a degree certificate.
That certificate shows:
signed by Prof. Malcolm Gillies, Vice Chancellor
dated 15 September 2009
But Gillies resigned from City University in July 2009—two months earlier.
When contacted, Gillies told us:
“I am not aware of any certificates issued after I left the university that carry my signature.”
City University confirmed that the interim Vice Chancellor at the time was Prof. Julius Weinberg—not Gillies.
3. Transcript vs Degree Certificate—Contradictions
The transcript submitted to Law College classifies his degree as:
LLB, Class Three
But the certificate given to the Jayewardenepura master’s programme states:
LLB, Class Three - With Honours
These two classifications cannot both be correct.
City University told us:
“If the transcript includes a qualification, it must match the award title. The term ‘with Honours’ cannot be added independently.”
Yet that is precisely what happened.
Under 2009 rules, a foreign degree qualifies for Law College entry only if:
“It is recognised as an entry qualification for admission to the Bar in the country where it was obtained.”
In the UK, the Bar Standards Board requires a minimum of Second-Class Lower (2:2) for the academic stage of training.
Namal’s purported degree was Third Class.
Thus he did not meet the academic requirement.
A former Law College Council member confirmed:
“A Third Class UK law degree alone cannot exempt a candidate from sitting the entrance exam. It has never been considered sufficient.”
According to Law College Principal Prasantha Lal De Alwis PC, the CID has:
taken two statements from him,
taken another from the Deputy Principal,
and requested copies of historical admission files.
CID sources say they are investigating:
possible document forgery,
possible misuse of public funds,
and potential undue influence on state education bodies.
In 2010, law student Thushara Jayaratne alleged that Namal sat some of his exams in a “special private room” instead of with other candidates.
A Law College inquiry was held—but the report was never released.
Jayaratne, who now lives abroad, told us via email:
“The system was bent. Everyone knew it. But nobody could speak.”
These revelations extend beyond the academic irregularities of one politically powerful student. They expose a pattern:
taxpayer-funded privileges,
covert financial support,
manipulation of state institutions,
and possible fabrication of foreign qualifications.
In a country where thousands of students compete for scarce seats at Law College—often studying for years—a politically privileged candidate seems to have leapfrogged the rules entirely.
For the hotelier in Bromley, the investment was small.
For the Rajapaksa machine, the returns were immense.
For Sri Lanka, the cost—public, institutional, and moral—may prove far greater.
Repeated requests for comment were sent to Namal Rajapaksa and his office from April to November 2025.
He did not respond.
-By LeN Legal Correspondent
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by (2025-11-19 18:54:03)
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