By Yiep Joseph
Accused No. 3, Gatwech Lam Puoch, has rejected allegations presented against him by the prosecution and a digital forensic expert.
Lam insisted that the evidence relied upon by the prosecution team was inaccurate and lacked a factual basis.
Speaking during the 91st session of proceedings before the Special Court, Lam continued presenting his defense statement, disputing claims that he had described the Agwelek and Abushok forces as militias.
According to Lam, the prosecution misrepresented his statements contained in video evidence that had previously been presented before the court.
“One of the allegations against me is that I described Agwelek and Abushok as militias and asserted that their mission was to disarm the local population. This allegation is entirely unfounded and without factual basis,” Lam told the court.
He thanked the court for replaying the video evidence twice during one of the proceedings, arguing that the footage clearly demonstrated that he never used the term “militia.”
“I never used the term ‘militia’ at any point. The video can explain itself,” he said.
Instead, Lam maintained that he referred to the groups as forces that had not been integrated into the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).
The accused also challenged the authenticity of electronic messages that the prosecution has relied upon as part of its evidence.
“With regard to the alleged electronic messages relied upon by the prosecution, those messages are fabricated and do not exist in my WhatsApp application,” Lam said.
His remarks formed part of a broader defense aimed at discrediting both the prosecution’s interpretation of video recordings and the findings presented by a digital expert witness.
The Special Court has been hearing the case over several months, with the prosecution presenting witnesses and digital evidence intended to support charges against the accused persons.
The defense has now entered a critical stage in which the accused are responding directly to the allegations and challenging the evidence presented against them.
After several hours of deliberations, the presiding judge, Dr. James Alala Deng, adjourned the session until Friday, June 26, 2026.
When proceedings resume, Accused No. 3 is expected to continue presenting his defense statement before the court.