By Yiep Joseph
The accused No. 4, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, told the Special Court that he was tortured and subjected to degrading treatment after his arrest.
He alleged that he was chained, held in an underground prison, and denied basic human dignity while in military detention.
Testifying during the 98th session of the Special Court, Duop, who is Accused No. 4 in the ongoing trial involving Puot Kang and seven other co-accused, said he endured both physical and psychological abuse at a military intelligence detention facility.
“I was taken to an underground prison. It was full of physical and mental torture gadgets. My legs were chained with a three-kilogram chain and locked with a padlock,” Duop told the court.
He further alleged that prison guards mistreated detainees and interfered with their access to necessities, including visits to the washroom. According to his testimony, the conditions of detention were degrading and left him feeling humiliated despite his senior military rank.
“Considering my position as Deputy Chief of Defense Forces, appointed by a decree of H.E. the President, I felt I should not have been humiliated to that extent,” he testified.
The allegations were made during Duop’s defense before the Special Court.
The hearing forms part of the high-profile case involving Puot Kang and seven co-accused, who are facing charges before the special court.
The proceedings have drawn significant public attention because several of the accused are senior political and military figures.
The case stems from arrests made earlier this year following heightened political and security tensions in Juba.
Authorities detained several senior officials, including Kang and Duop, after accusing them of offenses linked to national security. The accused have denied wrongdoing and have been presenting their defense before the court.
Duop’s testimony marked one of the most detailed accounts yet of the conditions he says he experienced while in detention.
The Special Court has continued hearing evidence from the accused and witnesses as it considers the charges against Kang and the other defendants.
Following Monday’s hearing, the court adjourned proceedings until Wednesday, July 22, 2026, when the trial is expected to resume.
The allegations of torture remain claims made by the accused during sworn testimony. They have not been determined by the court, and no response to those specific allegations was presented by the prosecution during the session.