MP Gatwech Lam Puoch, a member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly representing Nasir County in Upper Nile State and one of the accused persons in the ongoing Nasir incident case, continued his defense testimony before the Special Court on Wednesday, raising concerns about the circumstances surrounding his arrest, detention, and prosecution.
During the hearing, Gatwech outlined what he described as a series of procedural irregularities that occurred following his arrest in March 2025.
One of the central issues raised in his testimony was the legality of his arrest. Gatwech told the court that he was apprehended without a warrant and was not informed of any charges at the time of his detention.
He further stated that he was neither caught committing an offence nor accused of inciting or participating in any unlawful activity at the time of his arrest.
The lawmaker also questioned whether constitutional procedures relating to parliamentary immunity were followed.
According to his testimony, permission from the Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly was not sought before his arrest, despite provisions governing the treatment of serving lawmakers.
Another key point raised by Gatwech concerned the timeline of his detention and subsequent legal proceedings.
He told the court that although he was arrested in March 2025, investigations into his case did not begin until April, while parliament lifted his immunity in August.
He said he was first brought before the court in September, several months after his arrest.
Gatwech further described his arrival at a detention facility, where he said officials responsible for receiving him initially did not explain the reasons for his detention.
According to his account, some detention personnel indicated they had not been provided with details regarding the basis of his arrest.
The accused also alleged that security officers pressured him to provide access to his mobile phone and personal information while in custody.
He argued that such actions infringed upon his right to privacy and were not carried out through proper legal procedures.
In addition, Gatwech raised concerns regarding the handling of his personal property. He told the court that his vehicle was impounded following his arrest and later suffered damage while in custody.
He claimed that some personal belongings kept in the vehicle were missing when it was eventually returned to his family.
Despite these concerns, Gatwech acknowledged the assistance of detention facility officials who later facilitated the release of the vehicle to his relatives for repairs and maintenance.
The testimony forms part of the defense case in the ongoing proceedings related to the Nasir incident. Court sessions have focused on hearing evidence and testimonies from the accused as the case continues.
The hearing was presided over by Judge James Alala Deng, who adjourned proceedings until June 19, when Gatwech Lam is expected to continue presenting his defense before the court.
The prosecution has previously presented its case, while the defense is currently providing testimony and responding to allegations before the court reaches its determination.
