The Special Court trying former First Vice President Riek Machar and seven co-accused members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) has adjourned proceedings until November 18 to allow for the state funeral of veteran politician and military commander Joseph Lagu Yanga.
Presiding Judge Stephen Simon Binjigwa announced the adjournment on Wednesday during the court’s 128th session, saying the decision was made because Lagu’s burial is scheduled for Friday in Juba.
Lagu, who died on October 27, is expected to be laid to rest in a state funeral attended by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and other senior government officials.
The court is expected to resume hearings on November 18, when proceedings against Machar and his seven co-accused will continue.
The adjournment comes as the high-profile trial continues to attract national and international attention, given its political and security implications for South Sudan.
Machar and seven other SPLM/A-IO figures are facing charges before the Special Court in connection with the March 2025 violence in Nasir, Upper Nile State, which involved local youth attacks on government forces and the killing of senior military personnel.
The proceedings form part of a major legal case arising from the renewed political and security tensions between forces aligned with President Kiir and those associated with Machar.
The case has included witness testimonies, documentary and video evidence, as well as legal arguments between the prosecution and defence teams.
The next hearing is scheduled for November 18.
