Rafiq Khan appointed temporary Appeal Court judge

Senior Counsel Raffiq Turhan Khan was Wednesday sworn to serve for six months as a Court of Appeal judge.

Khan was handed his instruments of appointment by President David Granger at State House.

While the appointment is temporary, the President said a full complement of legal officers, magistrates and judges enables judicial efficiency and enhances public confidence in the law.

As such, he said “it is my hope therefore that the appointment of Mr. Rafiq Turhan Khan, now Justice Khan as an acting Judge will serve to preserve and protect the rights of our citizens to equal protection and benefit of the law.”

Justice Khan related that he was interviewed for the position in July 2017 by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and he agreed to serve for the short period. Having been practising law privately for over thirty years, he expressed confidence in being able to fulfil his duties.

He explained that “when you come out of the private practice and you go onto the bench, you bring a different perspective.”

“I’m not saying it’s better perspective but you get wider views of complex legal problems, you have different experiences with respect to different legal problems that present itself that helps to widen the scope and vision of a decision,” he stated.

Rafiq Khan was admitted to practice in Guyana in 1984 after graduating from University of the West Indies with a law degree and obtaining a Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica.

According to the Cameron & Shepherd’s website, he joined that practice the same year as an associate counsel and became a partner in 1986.

Justice Khan was conferred with the title of senior counsel last year.

He has also lectured in contract and equitable remedies at the University of Guyana.

Khan’s appointment followed that of Dr Arif Bulkan, who was appointed a month ago to also serve for a six-month period.