Both Juman Yassin, S.C. and Stabroek News have apologised to Chief Justice Navindra Singh, retracting publications made by them on December 31, 2025 and January 1, 2026.
The apologies issued are contained below:
K.A. Juman Yassin S.C.
Retraction and Public Apology
To the Guyanese public and the Honourable Justice Navindra Singh, Acting Chief Justice of Guyana:
1, K.A. Juman-Yassin, S.C., hereby unreservedly retract and apologize for statements made by me in my letter published under the title “In the absence of any other information, have come to the conclusion that a plan was hatched by the gov’t to have Justice Cummings-Edwards removed as Chancellor,” which appeared in Stabroek News on or about December 31, 2025. Upon further reflection and after being made aware of the true facts, acknowledge that several statements and implications in my publication were false and unjustified, and I deeply regret the distress and reputational harm caused to Justice Singh.
Specifically, retract and apologize for the following:
- The assertion and implication that Justice Singh knowingly participated in, acquiesced in, or acted pursuant to an improper executive “plan” designed to influence the administration of justice or the handling of politically sensitive litigation. I now recognize that there is no factual basis for any such allegation, and i did not intend to suggest that Justice Singh was involved in any improper conduct or scheme.
- The suggestion that Justice Singh’s appointment as Acting Chief Justice was irregular, improper, or contrary to established judicial norms, including any implication that his elevation was motivated by political considerations or that he was selected to serve an improper executive or partisan purpose. 1 accept that Justice Singh’s appointment was constitutionally valid and consistent with established practice. I did state that he given an opportunity to serve as Chief Justice and could not fault him for accepting it
- The allegation that Justice Singh excluded or locked out Justice Roxane George from the Chief Justice’s Chambers, or acted on instructions to do so. I now understand and accept that Justice George was never locked out of the Chambers by Justice Singh or otherwise, and that Justice Singh acted properly and courteously at all times. In fact there was a meeting at 8.30 a.m on the morning and both Justice George and Justice Singh decided that they would await the decision of His Excellency Irfaan Ali as to the continuation or not of their respective acting appointments and as a result Justice George did not seek to occupy her former chambers.
- Any imputation that Justice Singh subordinated his judicial independence or integrity, behaved discourteously or improperly toward a Judicial colleague, or placed personal advancement above constitutional duty and the rule of law. I recognize that these insinuations were wholly unfounded.
I sincerely apologize to Justice Singh for the distress, embarrassment, and reputational injury that may have been caused by my statements. I further apologize to the Judiciary and the public for any undermining of confidence in the administration of justice that may have resulted from my publication.
I undertake to refrain from making any further statements of this nature and to ensure that this retraction and apology is published with the same prominence and frequency as the original publication.
Signed
K.A. Juman-Yassin, S.C.
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Stabroek News
On the 31st of December 2025, this newspaper published a letter by Mr. K Juman-Yassin S.C., and on the 1st of January 2026, further published an article entitled “Juman-Yassin raises spectre that gov’t-orchestrated plot ousted Cummings-Edwards as Chancellor”, which contained statements from which unfair and damaging inferences to the reputation of Mr. Justice Navindra Singh C.J. could have been drawn.
The letter and article gave accounts of the elevation of Mr. Justice Singh to the office of Chief Justice which included elements that Stabroek News has since learned are not true. These include an assertion that according to protocol, the judiciary’s most senior judge should have been appointed, and a claim that another judge with more tenure had therefore been ‘bypassed’. Stabroek News acknowledges that seniority is not the sole or even the central criterion of selection, abjures any inference that Justice Singh was improperly appointed on these grounds, and apologizes for any unfair and undeserving inferences that may have been drawn against the Chief Justice’s reputation.
The letter and the article also assert that, with respect to Chancellor George, the Chief Justice ‘shut her out of her office’ and that she was therefore unable to occupy said office when she returned to resume duties as Chief Justice. Having been informed that this characterization of the facts is not accurate, Stabroek News hereby corrects the record, and any underlying inference that can be drawn from it, that Chief Justice Singh acted discourteously to a judicial colleague.
Finally, Stabroek News retracts the suggestion that Chief Justice Singh would not have excluded Chancellor George “unless he was instructed to do so.” As pointed out repeatedly in the original letter, in the absence of a transparent process and clearly established facts in a judicial appointment of this magnitude, any inference of influence by the executive over the actions of the Chief Justice cannot amount to more than a speculation. Stabroek News further retracts the suggestion in the letter and the article that Chief Justice Singh was involved in, aware of, or acted pursuant to any “plan” to remove the former Chancellor Cummings-Edwards, or that any such “decision” was communicated to him.
In view of the abovementioned inaccuracies Stabroek News retracts the referenced statements and seeks to dispel any claims arising from them. It offers an unqualified and unreserved apology to Chief Justice Singh.
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Chief Justice Singh
Chief Justice Singh, who was appointed Chief Justice on August 5, 2025, is one of the most experienced, respected, and distinguished members of the Guyanese judiciary. He was admitted to the Bar of Guyana in October 2001 and thereafter distinguished himself in private practice, successfully conducting numerous civil and commercial trials and appeals. Justice Singh’s professional qualifications extend internationally. He is admitted to the New York State Bar and to practice before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, as well as before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
He has practiced before state, federal, and immigration courts in the United States and has been recognised for professional excellence.
On October 29, 2012, Justice Singh was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Guyana, where over a period of more than twelve (12) years he presided over some of the most significant and high-profile criminal and civil matters in the jurisdiction, earning a reputation for fairness, efficiency, rigorous legal reasoning, and unwavering adherence to the rule of law. In 2025, he was elevated to the Court of Appeal, prior to his appointment as Acting Chief Justice. Justice Singh is widely regarded for his integrity, independence, and commitment to the proper administration of justice.
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