Late Justice Salatiel Lenalia

Judges: He was a humble giant

The late Justice Lenalia was one of the pioneer magistrates to be appointed as a judge.

He was in fact the first magistrate to be appointed who served his first full term as a judge.  He even served as the acting Chief Justice of Vanuatu in August 1995, while serving in Vanuatu as a magistrate.

Having worked in the judiciary as a magistrate before obtaining his law degree, the late Justice Lenalia was described by Justice Kandakasi, his fourth year classmate at Law school, as a gentle giant, who did quite well in law school.

Ceremonial sitting for late judge

Late Justice Lenalia spent 41 years serving in the judiciary, making him the longest serving member of the judiciary.

Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia said 18 of those years was as a magistrate and 19 as a judge.

The late judge also served in Vanuatu as a magistrate and at one point, as the acting Chief Justice of Vanuatu in August of 1995. This was while he was still a magistrate.

Sir Salamo described the late judge as a very humble man whose professionalism reflected in his judgements.

Judge to be farewelled in court sitting

The sitting will take place from 9am before the casket can proceed to the Rev. Sione Kami Memorial church for the funeral service from 11am.

The senior residential judge of the East New Britain Province will be flown back to Kokopo on Thursday.

The main funeral service will be held on Friday in Kokopo, before the late judge’s casket is repatriated to New Ireland on Saturday.

He will be laid to rest in Lelet village, New Ireland, on Sunday, August 27.