By Yiep Joseph
The special court hearing the case of Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused on Monday dismissed a defense objection over a document containing hash values presented by a digital forensic expert.
During the 60th session, digital forensic expert Ratlhogo Peter Calvin Rafadi presented the document as instructed by the court during the previous sitting.
However, defense lawyer Dr. Geri Raimondo Legge objected to the document, arguing that it was “mere paper” and not the original evidence.
He told the court that hash values are raw data derived from the original devices and should be presented directly from those devices.
Dr. Legge also argued that the document lacked authentication, saying it was not signed, dated, stamped, or bearing the name of the person who prepared it.
The defense requested the court to allow the expert to open the phones belonging to the accused persons so they could compare the original messages with those extracted by investigators.
Prosecutor Ajo Ony’Ohisa opposed the request, telling the court that it had already ruled against reopening the phones.
He argued that the defense was attempting to delay the proceedings and could instead bring its own expert to verify the hash values.
Ajo added that the messages had already been presented in court and the defense had the opportunity to question them.
Hash values are unique digital fingerprints created from data using a mathematical process called a Cryptographic Hash Function.
When a file such as a message, photo, or database from a phone—is processed through a hash function (for example SHA-256 or MD5), it produces a fixed string of letters and numbers called a hash value.
Defense lawyers often examine hash values to challenge digital evidence.
After hearing arguments from both sides, presiding judge James Alala Deng dismissed the defense objection and ordered that the document be marked and admitted as part of the prosecution’s forensic report.
The judge said the court had already ruled on the matter and directed the defense to focus on verifying the hash values, including through their own digital expert if necessary.
The court then ordered the session to proceed with the cross-examination of the digital forensic expert.
The hearing was adjourned to Wednesday, March 18, when cross-examination will continue.
Machar and his co-accused face charges including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property, and crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors allege that forces linked to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army‑In Opposition, allied with the White Army militia, killed 257 soldiers of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and destroyed or seized military equipment worth about $58 million during an attack on the Nasir garrison in March 2025.