The special court trying First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and seven other SPLM-IO members for treason, murder, and other serious crimes has denied the defense’s request for access to case files and copies of evidence.
Presiding Judge Dr. James Alala Deng told the courtroom on Friday that while the defense will have the opportunity to examine witnesses and investigators during trial proceedings, they will not be allowed to review documents ahead of time.
The ruling marks a significant procedural hurdle for Machar’s legal team, who had sought pre-trial access to case files to prepare their defense strategy. Lawyers argued that reviewing evidence in advance is critical to ensuring a fair trial, but the court emphasized that examination will occur during the formal trial process.
