By Yiep Joseph
As the special court trying Puot Kang and the seven co-accused continues, the prosecution witness on Monday presented more evidences.
The high-profile court case included the suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar as one of the accused being tried.
Dr. Machar and seven co-accused face charges including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, financing terrorist acts, treason, destruction of public property and military assets, and crimes against humanity.
The charges relate to clashes in Nasir in March 2025, which the government said involved Machar’s SPLM/A-IO and led to the deaths of a general and 257 soldiers.
The 24th session, which was fixed for the prosecution witness, detailed some of the findings from the SSPDF investigation committee that were presented as evidence regarding the Nasir incident.
After swearing in as he testifies, Maj. Peter Malual Deng, who is one of the prosecution’s witnesses, described incidents surrounding the attack on the barracks that resulted in the death of the commander of the government forces in Nasir.
Malual, who is a member of the investigative committee that was formed by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) to investigate the Nasir incident, presented some videos and photos related to the incident.
He alleged the White Army and the SPLA-IO mobilized in huge numbers and attacked the government barracks in Nasir, as shown in the videos that were presented to the court.
The witness described what happened after the fall of Nasir to the White Army, citing that government soldiers were executed and wounded soldiers and corpses were mistreated, as seen in the video.
He also told the court that the late White Army commander, Tor Gile Thoan, had served as an SPLA-IO officer adding that his deputy known as Kang Makana, who later captured the garrison during the second attack was also SPLA-IO officer.
He recounted a high-level meeting in Juba involving UN and IGAD officials, former Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, and Dr. Machar, during which the UN was requested to evacuate 55 SSPDF survivors, including Gen. Majur.
Malual said Dr. Machar assured their safe evacuation, but these guarantees were not upheld, resulting in the deaths of Majur and a helicopter crew member on March 7.
The six new videos presented Monday followed five shown on Friday.
The sixth video depicts White Army and alleged SPLA-IO members dragging a survivor from hiding and killing him before throwing him into a river.
The seventh video shows White Army and SPLA-IO fighters at the garrison as a helicopter arrived to evacuate Majur and 55 soldiers. Despite a UN request to move 300-500 meters away and assurances from Machar, the soldiers opened fire, killing Majur.
An audio clip captured Majur speaking to SSPDF headquarters in Bilpam from a trench 10 minutes before the helicopter arrived, reporting he was injured.
The eighth video shows Majur being carried to the helicopter when shots were fired from 90 meters away; six of his men boarded safely and were taken to Malakal.
Photos displayed Majur dead, stripped of his uniform, in a red t-shirt, with bullet damage to the helicopter.
The ninth video shows the six survivors aboard the helicopter en route to Malakal.
The tenth video shows Kang Makana in a vehicle going to attack the garrison, saying, “This is our issue with Dinka. We are going to Wech-Yar-Adiu to take out Majur.”
The eleventh video shows Makana stating he and James Gatluak Lew, the then Nasir County Commissioner, are SPLA-IO members aligned with Machar, saying, “Our fight is with Dinka.”
After all these presentations from the witness, the judge adjourned Monday’s session to Wednesday, Nov. 26.
The next session is expected to continue with the witness; meanwhile, the defense will later cross-examine the witnesses to challenge the evidence presented before the court.