Proceedings in the high-profile trial of suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused were abruptly adjourned on Friday after the special court highlighted serious inconsistencies and poor organisation in the prosecution’s documentary evidence.

The session, scheduled for cross-examination of the prosecution’s final witness—South African digital forensic expert Ratlhogo Peter Calvin Rafadi—was suspended shortly after it began.

Judge Stephen Simon Isaac, a member of the three-judge panel, explained that the files submitted by the prosecution were improperly arranged, lacked consistent pagination, and had unclear referencing, making it impossible for the court and defence team to properly follow the evidence.

“This session was fixed for the defence to cross-examine the witness, but for some reason, we can’t go ahead with cross-examination because of some complication in the document,” Judge Isaac stated.

The adjournment came after defence lawyer Deng John Deng pointed out discrepancies between the original forensic report and copies provided to the defence.

“On the page of the first accused, we have found out the original report comprises 26 pages while the copy comprises 28 pages and also there is a difference in the content of the two reports,” Deng had previously raised during Wednesday’s testimony.

He renewed the request on Friday: “Therefore, as there is a difference between the original and the copy, we pray to this honorable court to avail for us a copy of the original report of the eight accused persons to enable us, the defence, to cross-examine the witness.”

The court adjourned proceedings to Monday, February 16, 2026, to allow time for the prosecution to review, reorganise, and clarify the documents.

The trial is being heard by a three-judge panel: Presiding Judge James Alala, Judge Stephen Simon Isaac, and Judge Pur Majok.Machar, 73, and his co-accused face grave charges including treason, crimes against humanity, mass murder, terrorism, and destruction of property.

Prosecutors allege that SPLA-IO forces, allied with the White Army militia, killed 257 SSPDF soldiers—including commander David Majur Dak—and destroyed or seized military equipment worth approximately $58 million during the March 2025 attack on the Nasir garrison in Upper Nile State.