By Yiep Joseph
The third accused in the Special Court case involving Puot Kang Chol and seven co-accused has rejected the prosecution’s expert evidence, describing it as fabricated and unreliable.
Gatwech Lam Puoch made the remarks on Monday while presenting his defense statement during the 93rd sitting of the Special Court.
Addressing the court, Gatwech disputed the findings presented by the prosecution’s expert witness, alleging that the report had been fabricated in collaboration with the prosecution.
He maintained that the digital evidence relied upon by the prosecution, particularly WhatsApp communications attributed to him, lacked credibility and should not be considered reliable.
According to the accused, several of the WhatsApp messages presented in court were not supported by clear sources or sufficient authentication.
He argued that some of the communications could not be traced to him and questioned the manner in which the electronic evidence was obtained and presented before the court.
“The evidence presented against me was fabricated,” Gatwech told the court.
The prosecution has relied on expert analysis of electronic communications as part of its evidence against the accused persons.
However, the defense has continued to challenge both the authenticity of the evidence and the procedures used in collecting and analysing the digital records.
Following several hours of submissions by the third accused, Presiding Judge Dr. James Alala Deng adjourned the proceedings until July 3, when Gatwech is expected to continue presenting his defense statement.
The court is also expected to determine an application previously filed by the prosecution seeking an order directing the remaining accused persons to submit their defense statements without further oral arguments.
The prosecution argued that sufficient time had already been allocated for the defense, while lawyers for the accused have maintained that each defendant is entitled to fully present his case before the court reaches a determination.
The trial involving Puot Kang and the seven co-accused has drawn significant public attention because of the senior positions previously held by some of the accused and the nature of the charges before the Special Court.
Since the proceedings began, the court has heard testimony from prosecution witnesses, received documentary and electronic evidence, and listened to expert opinions before entering the defense phase.