Sydney Godfrey de Zoysa (January 15, 1909 - October 20, 1994) was a Sri Lankan senior police officer.
A former Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Range II and Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Internal Security, he was one of the co-conspirators of the attempted military coup of 1962.
On his return, he was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Police, Tangalle in September 1936; Avissawella in July 1938; November 1940, Sabaragamuwa; and March 1941, Northern Province.
[2] During the Gal Oya riots, de Zoysa who had been promoted to Deputy Inspector-General of Police of Range II, personally went to Gal Oya valley and threatened local politicians with arrest if they incited the mob to violence, even if they were Cabinet Ministers, thus bringing the situation under control.
In 1959, while he was serving as Deputy Inspector-General of Police of Range II, at a May Day rally, Minister Philip Gunawardena claimed that DIG Sydney de Zoysa was conspiring against the government along with his brother, the Finance Minister Stanley de Zoysa and called for their removal.
de Zoysa was arrested and remanded under suspicion of the assassination along with former minister Vimala Wijewardene on November 19, 1959, forced the government to send him on compulsory leave.
[1] As a member of the Christian elite, who were being deprived of the influence they once had due to the Sinhalisation process started by Prime Minister S.W.R.D.