Justice Navindra Singh’s libel writ and my apology

Jan 20, 2023 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Kaieteur News – Justice Navindra Singh’s libel writ against me has come before the courts. Justice Singh sued in November 2021 for my column I had written on November 19 2020 titled, “No civilized society should accept this light sentence for a horrible murder.”

Presiding judge, Justice Sandra Kurtzious ordered mediation in the case and appointed a mediator. As a result of mediation, an apology is to be offered to the judge. I hereby offer that apology to Justice Singh. There was no intention to defame Justice Singh. There was no intention of malice. There was never any intention on my part to put Justice Singh in any improper way.

This apology is offered in the light of Justice Singh feeling aggrieved at what was written in the column. There was no thought on my part of attacking the integrity of Justice Singh. I repeat the apology to Justice Singh once more.

For the sake of defending my integrity, I want to set the record straight that if I was requested to apologize in November 2021 by Justice Singh I would have done so. In my 34 years in the media, I have never refused to apologize.

I believe it is the right and decent thing to do. I received a letter from Justice Singh’s lawyer dated October 15, 2021 which stated; “In the circumstances, unless you pay damages to my client in the sum of (redacted) within 15 days of the date hereof, legal proceedings will be instituted against you…for defamation wherein my client will seek the true award of damages in excess of the sum of ”

My lawyer informed the mediator that the letter did not offer me the opportunity to offer an apology. It was not a letter for a request for an apology. Had it, then I would have done so immediately. I thank my lawyers for their pro-bono work and repeat once more; I had no malice when I wrote the column. I end with a repetition of my apology.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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apology, Freddie Kissoon, Justice Navindra Singh, Justice Sandra Kurtzious, libel writ

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