In the ongoing trial of suspended South Sudanese First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused, prosecutors on Monday requested that the special court question the defendants about the prosecution’s evidence before permitting them to submit written defence statements.
Lead Prosecutor Ajo Ony’Ohisa presented this request during the 111th session of the trial, held at Freedom Hall in Juba.
Ohisa asked the three-judge panel for direction on the process of examining the accused prior to any defence statements being presented in court.
He maintained that the defendants should first respond to questions regarding the prosecution’s evidence before being allowed to introduce their defence statements.
This prosecution request came after a defence application filed in the 110th session, which aimed to affirm the defendants’ constitutional right to select their own lawyers.
The defence contended that none of the accused had sought a change in legal representation or indicated any loss of confidence in their current lawyers.
The application was submitted two days after the judges suggested that Machar consider replacing his legal team if he no longer trusted his lawyers.
Ohisa rejected the defence application, which requested clarification and safeguards for the accused persons’ constitutional right to choose their legal counsel.
He informed the court that the prosecution regarded the defence filing as an effort to contest the court’s authority.Ohisa called on the judges to reject what he characterised as applications that might prolong the trial.
Lead Defence Counsel Dr. Geri Raymond Legge acknowledged that the defence had received the prosecution’s response and counter-application.
Legge asked for more time to draft a written reply.Judge Stephen Simon Binjigwa, part of the three-judge panel, postponed the proceedings until Wednesday, 26 August, to give the defence an opportunity to address the prosecution’s submission and submit a written response to the counter-application.
Machar and the seven others are being tried in connection with violence that occurred in Nasir, Upper Nile State, in March 2025, during which government forces incurred significant losses.
The defendants are charged with offences including treason, murder, conspiracy, terrorism, destruction of public property and crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors claim that forces linked to Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), along with the White Army, killed 257 South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers, among them military commander General David Majur Dak, in an assault on a military garrison in Nasir.
They further allege that military equipment valued at approximately $58 million was destroyed or taken during the fighting.Machar and the other defendants have rejected the charges.
