In a closed-door session on Friday, South Sudan’s special court heard testimony from the head of the investigation team in the case against suspended First Vice President Riek Machar and seven other defendants over the March “Nasir incident.” Major General Basilio Thomas Wani, also North Bahr el Ghazal’s police chief, read statements from Machar and three defendants, with all media recording banned.
Machar, under house arrest since March 26 and questioned in April, rejected the justice minister’s probe, arguing it lacked legal authority and violated his constitutional immunity, insisting such matters fall under the ceasefire monitoring mechanism. He claimed his testimony was coerced and criticized the complainant — allegedly linked to National Security — for ignoring massacres in Leer County, while detailing his efforts to contain clashes in Nasir between government forces, SPLM-IO, and allied White Army militias.
Prosecution documents accuse the eight of treason, crimes against humanity, mass murder, terrorism, and property destruction, tied to March attacks on a Nasir military base that killed a general and multiple soldiers. Prosecutors presented four key documents, including the arrest order and a parliamentary decision lifting immunity from another MP, insisting security agencies have the right to bring such cases under the Criminal Procedure Act.
The defense disputed the court’s jurisdiction, claiming the incident falls under the 2018 peace agreement framework and describing the arrest order as unconstitutional.
Judge James Alala Deng ruled to admit all prosecution documents into the case file, granting the defense a later opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, and adjourned proceedings to Monday, October 6, in what is seen as one of South Sudan’s most high-profile trials in years.
