By Yiep Joseph
Member of Parliament representing Nasir County, Gatwech Lam Puoch, has told the Special Court that statements he made during a series of press conferences did not incite violence and cannot be construed as criminal offences.
Lam, who is the third accused in the ongoing trial involving suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and seven other co-accused, submitted on Friday during the ninth sitting of the Special Court while presenting his defence.
The lawmaker challenged the prosecution’s reliance on his public statements, arguing that they neither encouraged violence nor amounted to any of the offences for which he has been charged.
“Your Lordship, the statement referred to in the testimony of Prosecution Witness No. 1, Major Peter Malual Deng, as well as the contents of the digital expert report appearing on pages 9, 10, 14, 15 and 16 of my individual report, does not in itself constitute any of the offences attributed to me,” Lam told the court.
He explained that the statement cited by the prosecution was issued collectively by members of parliament rather than as his personal declaration.
According to Lam, the statement did not contain any language that incited violence, encouraged public disorder, or called on citizens to engage in unlawful acts. He further argued that it was not directed solely at the people of Nasir and Ulang counties, where security tensions had been reported, but was intended to address broader national concerns.
Lam maintained that the prosecution had failed to establish any legal basis linking his remarks to the offences outlined in the charge sheet.
The prosecution has relied on testimony from Major Peter Malual Deng and evidence contained in a digital forensic expert’s report to support its case. However, the MP insisted that neither the witness testimony nor the digital evidence demonstrated that he had committed any criminal offence.
After listening to the defence submissions, the Special Court adjourned the proceedings until Wednesday, June 24, 2026, when the hearing is expected to resume with the continuation of the defence case.
The trial is one of the country’s most significant legal proceedings, involving suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and seven co-accused persons who are facing charges arising from the recent security and political tensions in Upper Nile State.
The case stems from investigations launched following the outbreak of violence in Nasir County, where clashes between government forces and the White Army escalated tensions and raised concerns over the implementation of the peace Agreement.
Prosecutors allege that statements and actions by some of the accused contributed to the events under investigation.