The Special Court trying suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon and seven other senior SPLM-IO officials has adjourned proceedings to Monday, following a full day of testimony from four of the accused, including Machar himself.
Friday’s session at Freedom Hall in Juba focused on statements from the first group of defendants, who face charges ranging from mass murder and terrorism to destruction of property, all linked to the violent clashes that erupted in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, in March 2025.
The government accuses the SPLM-IO leaders of orchestrating the violence as part of a broader plot to destabilize the transitional administration.
In a significant development, the court accepted four crucial prosecution documents presented during the hearing.
These included an official authorization letter to launch the trial, a ministerial order establishing the investigation and prosecution committee, an arrest sanction for Machar signed by the head of the executive, and a resolution by the National Transitional Legislative Assembly lifting the parliamentary immunity of lawmaker Gatwich Lam Pout, one of the co-accused.
The admission of these documents marks a procedural milestone, strengthening the prosecution’s case as it seeks to tie the accused to the Nasir incident, which left dozens dead and caused extensive destruction.
The Nasir trial is one of the most consequential legal proceedings since South Sudan’s independence, both for its political sensitivity and its potential to shape the country’s peace process.
Dr. Machar, a key signatory to the 2018 peace agreement, was suspended from his role as First Vice President following his indictment. He has consistently denied all charges, calling the case politically motivated and designed to sideline him ahead of the 2025 general elections.
Observers from regional bodies, diplomatic missions, and human rights groups are closely monitoring the trial.
The court is scheduled to reconvene on Monday, October 6, when testimony from the remaining defendants is expected, and the prosecution will continue presenting evidence in the high-profile case.
