Maas Thajoon Akbar

Who was Maas Thajoon Akbar?

Justice Maas Thajoon Akbar, KC was a Ceylonese, judge and lawyer. He was a judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon and Solicitor General of Ceylon.

Born to M. S. J. Akbar, a wealthy coconut planter, Akbar was educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo. After gaining a first class division pass at the London Matriculation, he won the coveted scholarship to University of Cambridge: he entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1897 where he did the Mechanical Science Tripos to qualify as an engineer. However, he subsequently switched over to law and was called to the bar at Gray's Inn.

He returned to Ceylon in 1905, and while practicing law, he also worked as a lecturer and examiner at the Ceylon Law College. In 1907 he became a Crown Counsel in the Attorney General's Department and went on to become the Solicitor General of Ceylon and Acting Attorney General, when C.H. Elphinstone, the Attorney General at that time was away on furlough. As the Solicitor General he was a member of the Legislative Council and had served as a District Judge on occasions too.

He chaired the University Commission and became the first Muslim to adorn the Supreme Court Bench. When he was appointed as a King's Counsel, he was the first Ceylon Muslim to receive the honor. At the time of his retirement he was the senior-most Puisne Justice.