Tributes continued to flow recently for Magistrate Oliver Thomas as a judge said the legal system might have been deprived of his wisdom, but it would not be deprived of his example.
He passed away suddenly, at age 39, last Wednesday, Errol Barrow Day, sending the legal fraternity into shock.
“He was a gentleman in every sense of the word – soft-spoken but firm in principle, highly accomplished but never boastful,” Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell said.
“Though we may have been deprived of the years of wisdom which he would have undoubtedly shared from the Bench, we are not deprived of his example.”
She recalled speaking to the former prosecutor a week before his untimely passing.
Fighting back tears, the judge told those present in the No. 4 Supreme Court, including Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale, SC, that Thomas’ elevation to the Bench was a well-deserved promotion, of which everyone was proud.
“Though his tenure as a magistrate was far too short, I saw from his work in the paper, and from the conversation I had with him a week before he passed, that he was well on his way to making an impact and improvements in the justice system,” Justice Smith-Bovell said.
She noted that before he was appointed as a magistrate earlier this month, Thomas had served “with distinction” as a State prosecutor.
“I think he may have prosecuted two matters in my court, and from his interaction with me, it was clear he was never interested in winning for the sake of a record. He was interested in the truth. He understood the power of the State must always be balanced with a sense of ethics.
“Oliver clearly enjoyed legal research. He would send cases on points of law he may have heard being argued in court, even though he was not involved in the case,” she added.
The judge said that beyond his brilliant mind, Thomas was a “rare and genuine” person.
“In a profession that can often be defined by ego, he was an island of kindness, of respect and empathy. He treated every person in this courtroom, from the clerks to the accused, with a level of dignity that reflected his own character.
“We remember Oliver for his potential to be a great magistrate and likely going on to be a great judge with his researcher’s mind, his prosecutor’s integrity and a humble man’s heart.
May his memory be a blessing to his wife, his family and the entire legal fraternity,” Justice Smith-Bovell said.
