Judge Desmond D’Costa retires

Colva: After an illustrious career spanning 25 years, principal judge of the session and district court, South Goa, Desmond D’Costa retired on Friday.

About his career, D’Costa, who was known for being jovial, yet unyielding, in the courtroom, said, “Being a judge is highly challenging as justice should not only be done but seen to have been done. The aim should not only be to dispose cases speedily, but to dispense justice.”

After completing his eduction in law, D’Costa practiced under advocate

Mario Pinto Almeida

and advocate

Anacleto Viegas

before joining the judiciary.

In 1992 he was appointed civil judge. He was promoted to the senior division in 1998 and was appointed district and sessions judge four years later. In 2016, he was appointed principal district and sessions judge. He was also special judge of the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances court, Mapusa.

Recounting his most memorable case, D’Costa told TOI, “In the Sharvanand Goankar case, involving the murder of a couple, I awarded the accused capital punishment. However, the high court acquitted the accused.”

Short in stature, but with a gigantic persona, D’Costa has always been grounded. He attempted to maintain a low social profile, but was unsuccessful in this as his wit and humour always ended up making him the centre of attraction.

Decades have passed since his student union days when D’Costa was at the forefront demanding 50% concessions for students. He was part of the protest against the infamous ‘marks scandal’ and the protests against reservation of seats for admission to MBBS for political bosses, which was eventually scrapped.