Khan: CJ trying to stall

OUTSPOKEN Senior Counsel Israel Khan says he views attempts by Chief Justice Ivor Archie to block the Law Association’s investigations, as “subterfuge” to stall the inevitable against him.

In an interview on Friday, Khan said lawyers had a duty to seek clarification when a judge, more so a chief justice, was accused of misbehaviour.

“What the association is doing is not investigating him, but gathering information already in the public domain and begging him to refute them.”

Khan said if Archie could not refute the allegations, then the association should call on the Attorney General, as the titular head of the Bar, to petition the Prime Minister to trigger the section 137 impeachment process.

He said he was also of the view that the Director of Public Prosecutions should request of the Commissioner of Police to conduct an investigation to determine if Archie committed a criminal offence.

Khan said neither the Prime Minister nor the Attorney General could abdicate their responsibility to the country, as the Judiciary continues to suffer.

He also expressed hope that President-elect Paula-Mae Weekes would call Archie in and ask for an explanation on the allegations.

The allegations which had concerned the association were that Archie discussed the matter of personal security for judges with someone outside of the judiciary and that he recommended people to the Housing Development Corporation for accelerated housing grants.

Archie has said it was “false and irresponsible” to suggest that he discussed with his fellow judges the hiring of any private security firm to provide personal security for them or that he recommended convicted fraudster Dillian Johnson for state housing.

He did, however, admit that he recommended “some needy and deserving” people to the HDC in 2015.