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Justice Valesius Victor Thomas, the former Acting Chief Justice of Sierra Leone who served on the nation’s highest court until his retirement in 2016, died Sunday in Freetown. He was 75.
His death on January 25, 2026, concludes a legal career spanning nearly four decades, marked by service in the judiciary, the state law office, and academia.
Born in the Moyamba District in 1950, Thomas rose through the legal ranks to become a Supreme Court Justice. His tenure culminated in his appointment as Acting Chief Justice, a position he held until retiring in 2016.
Thomas began his legal career in 1976 as a State Counsel in the Law Officers’ Department under the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. In addition to his government service and private practice, he was a lecturer at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, where he taught tort and public international law.
Thomas was educated in the United Kingdom, studying at the University of Leeds beginning in 1971. He completed postgraduate studies at University College London and qualified as a barrister at the Council of Legal Education’s School of Law.
He received his early education in Waterloo, attending Peninsula Secondary School and Magburaka Boys’ Secondary School, where he was recognized as a national scholar following his G.C.E. “A” Level examinations.
Beyond the courtroom, Thomas was a prominent leader in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He served as a member of the General Conference Executive Committee from 1990 to 1995. Ordained as an elder in 1984, he held leadership roles at the Maranatha and Lighthouse Beam SDA churches in Freetown and served on various school and mission boards.
Justice Thomas is survived by his wife of 44 years, Edna Thomas; their two sons, Edgar and Victor; and his grandchildren.
The family has stated that funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
