By Yiep Joseph
The last prosecution witness presented more exhibits as the special court trying Dr. Riek Machar and the seven co-accused continues.
On Friday, during the 48th court session, a South African digital forensic investigator and expert, Ratlhogo Peter Calvin, displaced WhatsApp conversations extracted from the phones of some of the accused.
During the session, the witness concludes with a display of WhatsApp communications extracted for the first accused, Puot Kang.
One of the videos was of white army leaders briefing a huge number of people believed to be from villages.
The witness also displays a video where youth were singing songs believed to be an encouragement toward war and marching toward one direction.
Another video presented during the session showed a group of well-armed youth marching and singing songs in the local language.
The last prosecution expert on digital forensics also displayed WhatsApp messages extracted from Gatwech Lam Pouch.
In his presentation the extracted conversations from the group chat included a press statement rejecting the replacement of forces in Nasir.
It included photos of gunships said to have taken off to bombard civilians in Nasir and Ulang.
There was a photo of the newspaper where an article about MPs rejecting the replacement of forces in Nasir was published.
According to the witness, one of the extractions showed that Gawech was in communication with the White Army leader by the name of Tor Gile.
The expert also played an audio extracted from Gatwech’s phone where someone was explaining and reaffirming the white plan to resist the replacement of forces in Nasir.
The digital expert displayed WhatsApp messages extracted from the phone of Gabriel Duop Lam.
During the session the expert displayed communications between Duop and someone named Radio Opr.
According to the witness, the messages linked to the Nasir incident and, in particular, the movement of soldiers (SSPDF) to Nasir.
After some hours, presiding judge Dr. James Alala adjourned the session. The trial is scheduled to resume on Monday, February 9, 2026, when the foreign expert is expected to continue to testify before the special court.
Machar and his co-accused face charges including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property, and crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors allege that SPLA-IO forces allied with the White Army killed 257 SSPDF soldiers, including commander David Majur Dak, and destroyed or seized military equipment valued at about $58 million during the March 2025 attack on the Nasir garrison.