07/08/2026
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Juba, August 7, 2026 โ The SPLM-IG-established sham court, known as the Special Court on the Incident of Nasir, held its 105th session this morning at its usual venue, Freedom Hall. The tribunal specifically targets leaders and members of the SPLM/A-IO, notably the Movementโs Chairman, Commander-in-Chief, and First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon.
During todayโs court session, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgonโa principal signatory to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), the sitting First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, Chairperson of the Governance Cluster, and Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the SPLM/A-IOโappeared before the sham court as the fifth accused to present his defense against the fabricated and baseless charges in this politically and tribally motivated trial. The ongoing proceedings target him and other SPLM/A-IO leaders in the wake of the March 2025 clashes in Nasir between local armed youth and the SSPDF (Case No. 15533/2025). H.E. Dr. Riek Machar initially requested audio and video recordings of his defense testimonyโa request subsequently followed by a formal written application from the defense team seeking the court's permission to record the proceedings.
๐.๐. ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ข๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ฒ-๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐งโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ
Addressing the bench regarding the integration of technology and the preservation of the trial record, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon stated:
โMay it please the Court!
Your Lordships, There is no question that this high-profile case carries exceptionally high stakes. Bearing this in mind, it is my respectful request that the court ensure we make maximum use of current technology to our advantage. I was greatly encouraged by the statement made by the Registrar of the Judiciary upon receivingโon Friday, June 19, 2026โeleven (11) laptop computers as a donation from UNMISS. To quote part of that statement: โWe will digitalize the Judiciary with these computers.โ It is my hope and prayer that we initiate this reform today.โ
Continuing his submission regarding the introduction of audio-visual recording and the submission of written statements to ease the burden on the court, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon stated:
โYour Lordships, I further pray for leave to introduce defense video and audio recordings into this chamber, just as the Prosecution has done regarding the SSBC, and as the Bench has similarly done. We have one ready for this purpose. Furthermore, Your Lordships, I propose to hand over to this Special Court copies of my written statement at the start of each session, pursuant to Section 229(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 2008. This proposal is intended to relieve Your Lordships from the burden of transcribing my lengthy submissions, should the Court be so inclined. I noted your remark during Session 89 on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, that your โโฆhand is tired of writingโฆโ I believe the same applies to other members of the Bench, particularly Justice Stephen and Justice Isaac.โ
Outlining the specific motivations behind his procedural requests concerning efficiency, historical record, legal precedent, and the integrity of the evidence, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon stated:
โYour Lordships, I make this request for four reasons:
1. for the sake of efficiency and time-saving, given that my statement will be somewhat extensive;
2. for the sake of posterity, so that one dayโwhen the political and security climate is conduciveโthe proceedings of this trial may be broadcast on television or radio and printed verbatim in the media for the people of South Sudan to know the truth;
3. for academic and legal purposes, that this may be cited as a precedent in courts and academic institutions, as this is the first trial of a sitting First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan in our nation's history; and
4. to ensure that the chain of custody regarding our testimonies in this case remains unbroken. This will prevent unauthorized interference and manipulation through alteration, editing, addition, deletion, or mixing, such as we witnessed during the presentation of the digital forensic expert, Mr. Calvin Rafadi, who displayed a video compiled from audio recordings of two different occasions in the case of Hon. Puot Kang Chol. Your Lordships, I await your guidance on these requests.โ
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐
๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
The defense team filed a formal written application to the sham court seeking permission to audio and video record H.E. Dr. Macharโs defense testimony. The defense's request stems from the fact that easy access to the testimony recordings would enable them to verify the accuracy of the official transcript, identify any discrepancies between the oral testimony and the written record, and better prepare their legal submissions.
For their part, the prosecution acknowledged receiving Dr. Machar and the defenseโs application to record the remaining testimony by video and audio, and requested the sham court's permission to file their written response at the next session.
The defense team raised no objection to the prosecution filing its response in writing.
After hearing from both sides, Judge Stephen Simon Binjigwaโa member of the Sham Court Panel of Judgesโruled that the court would continue hearing H.E. Dr. Riek Macharโs defense testimony while awaiting the prosecutionโs response. The court expects to receive this response at the next session before issuing its ruling on the application submitted by Dr. Machar and his defense team.
The sham trial has been adjourned until Monday, August 10, when the First Vice President, SPLM/A-IO Chairman, and Commander-in-Chief, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar, is expected to continue his defense statement.
The SPLM/A (IO) continues to vigorously reject the so-called "Special Court", considering it a tool to abrogate the Revitalized Agreement and target H.E. Dr. Riek Machar and the SPLM/A (IO) through a perceived political witch-hunt. The movement reiterated its demands for the immediate and unconditional release of H.E. Dr. Riek Machar and all SPLM/A (IO) detainees.
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