Panaji: Justice Gustavo Couto, Judge Goan first in the Bombay High Court, died on Friday at 93, after a short disease.
The legal luminaire who departed had a view of Ringside to some of the most important moments in the history of Goa’s law – he was the Procurador Da Republica (Advocate General) until the liberation of Goa in 1961, and also the last Judicial Commissioner of the State.
Long respected for the sharpness of his legal and integrity, Couto began his career in 1954, in the Portuguese overseas justice, and served in various courts in Angola and Goa.
He completed his law study at Lisbon.
After liberation, he served in state court in various capacities as career justice officers.
In 1982, when the jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court was expanded to Goa, he served on the bench in Bombay and Goa – also as an administrative judge – until he retired in 1990.
“Justice Couto is a great judge and a strict distribution, both in court and From it, and lit footsteps to follow other Goan judges, “said Justice Na Britto, who served as junior judge under Couto before being elevated as a high court judge.
Britto also remembers the “privilege” that emerged as a young prosecutor before Couto in the 70s.
“The lawyer did not dare try and outsmart him, when his intelligence of a razor and he did not tolerate dishonesty.” Couto survived his wife, two sons and a girl.