Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537750
Mark Said Veteran lawyer 9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 JULY 2025 OPINION I'VE known Toni Abela since university, when we read law together. He is a self- made man who laboured relentlessly to manage to climb the social ladder until he deservedly made it to the bench. Nominated to serve as judge, I recall his pledge to labour with every fibre of his being to validate the state's trust in his ability to be a wise and fair judge of every issue that comes before him. The legal profession can attest, as can every other member of the public who was directly or indirectly on the receiv- ing end of his judgments, that, through- out all the years that he served on the bench, he has been true to that pledge. He brought to our courts not only his abundant wisdom and fairness but also his passion for the truth, his enormous capacity to listen (not only to what was said but to what had remained unsaid), his uncommon good sense, his grace, his humour, and his courage. He had patience for all but the pompous. And unsparingly, he spoke truth to power. Indeed, he has been speaking truth to power since the first time he got in- volved in politics. After he graduated as a lawyer, with the generous help of the late Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, he commenced his le- gal advocacy for those in need. He de- voted countless hours to helping those in need, fighting for the rights of anyone suffering injustice and passionately and ably defending indigent criminal clients. As a lawyer, Toni Abela was always known for his astuteness, steely resolve, and self-effacing nature, not to mention his immensely persuasive intellectual power of advocacy. From all the judgments that Toni Ab- ela delivered, one can undoubtedly dis- cern that his clear articulation of what fair and inclusive norms require, writ- ten in a voice that is wise, unyielding and inspiring, has made him one of our most influential jurists. He spoke softly but carried a mighty gavel. As a judge, he was bright, most patient, kind, hu- mane, most thoughtful and tough when needed. He became a judge with unparalleled humility in the face of the daunting task of meting out justice. Yet once his time and years on the bench are now over, he has every reason to be most proud of his distinguished career and the legacy he will be leaving for generations to come. Toni cannot but be praised for living up to the judges' oath by interpreting the law 'without fear or favour, affection or ill-will'. Toni Abela has been the epitome of integrity and an exemplar of judicious wisdom, forging and moulding a truly indigenous jurisprudence. His approach to the administration of justice by em- bracing the use of technology, charac- terised by his keen intellect, sound judg- ments, unwavering commitment to the principles of equality and justice for all, has earned him the unrivalled respect and admiration of his peers, equalled only by the admiration he elicits from members of the public who have had the privilege of witnessing him fiercely advocate for and defend the public in- terest. His unbounded energy, his good demeanour, quick wit and overall dy- namic presence will be sorely missed. He will be remembered by the com- munity as a cornerstone of the judicial system who treated everyone with re- spect and dignity. Those who knew him appreciated the ferocity of his work ethic, his keen eye for detail and the thoroughness of his approach. His judicial method left no stone unturned, betraying a mind at work that appreciated the evolutionary nuances of the law. The jurisprudence of the court is richer for his efforts. From what I could gather, those who worked with him at the law courts will remember him as the man who had in- fectious optimism and took the time to say good morning to staff members by name every day. His colleagues and staff will recall his intellectual curiosity that was never tempered by his heavy workload and that he assumed a gleeful expression when a tricky point of law entered his docket. It's a pity that at a time when parlia- ment was toying with the idea of in- creasing the retirement age of judges, Toni Abela had to constitutionally step down because of his age. I think it is fair to say that for one who has devoted his entire life to speaking truth to power, Toni is not the retiring type. Surely, Toni will not retire but on- ly turn to a new line of work with a new promise of service to the nation. I expect it will not be long before he returns to the causes he shed when he put on his judicial robe and becomes a passionate and effective advocate again to protect what and anyone that needs protecting. I reckon that Toni should now be free, in reflective leisure, for activities that are impossible in the demanding life of a justice of the court. He has been part of Maltese public life for a good num- ber of years. What he has learnt of the meaning of our country is reflected, of course, in most of his opinions, in his judgments and in the books and articles that adorn the Maltese reading commu- nity. In the years he spent on the bench, he did justice, loved kindness and walked humbly with God. We will miss him greatly, but we shall not forget the lessons that he taught us by his words and, more importantly, by his example. In praise of retired Judge Toni Abela Former Judge Toni Abela He became a judge with unparalleled humility in the face of the daunting task of meting out justice.