{"id":41038,"date":"2025-11-11T11:23:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T09:23:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/?p=41038"},"modified":"2025-11-11T11:36:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T09:36:28","slug":"lawyers-request-witness-protection-in-dr-machars-trials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/11\/lawyers-request-witness-protection-in-dr-machars-trials\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawyers request witness protection in Dr. Machar’s trials"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Yiep Joseph<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

As the trials for Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused enter the session of witnesses, the prosecution team has requested the special court to grant protection.<\/p>\n

This request followed the completion of Cross-examination last week by the defense team.<\/p>\n

The request for the protection of witnesses as well as the need to appoint the interpreter applications were handed to the special court by the prosecution team during the 19th session.<\/p>\n

Tendering the application to the special court during the 19th session, Adv. Ajo Ony’Ohisa Igele, a member of the prosecution team, cited Sections 181 and 203 of the Criminal Procedure Code Act, 2008; Article 9(3) of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, 2011 (as amended); and Article 24 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, 2008.<\/p>\n

He reiterated the need for the special court to appoint an interpreter.<\/p>\n

The request by the prosecution team followed the completion of the cross-examination with expectations for the court to enter the session of witnesses.<\/p>\n

Hence, the need to have an interpreter as the special court prepares the session for the testimonies from witnesses in the upcoming sittings becomes vital.<\/p>\n

The application for the protection of the witnesses may seek to ensure the privacy, safety, and security of witnesses who may face intimidation, threats, or harm because of their testimonies.<\/p>\n

Although the content of the application was not read out fully, the measures to ensure the protection of the witnesses may include keeping their identities confidential, security escort, restricting public exposure, or holding closed-door sessions.<\/p>\n

Also, the application was also copied to the defense team, who requested time to respond in writing to the applications.<\/p>\n

One of the members of the defense urged the court to give them time, citing that they will respond in writing during the upcoming session scheduled for Wednesday.<\/p>\n

During the 19th session on Monday, the prosecution team re-examined the investigator to clarify some of the answers he gave previously during the cross-examination by the defense.<\/p>\n

During the re-examination, Adv. Ajo Ony’Ohisa Igele, a member of the prosecution team, questions the investigator to clarify to the court whether there is a guarantee and obligation in the peace agreement that prevents the accused from being present before the court.<\/p>\n

In response, Investigator General Basilio Wani stated that the ARCISS, which is the peace agreement, does not guarantee or stop the accused from being present before the court.<\/p>\n

The investigator added that the R-ARCISS does not remove the obligation of national institutions like the police and judiciary to ensure the rule of law.<\/p>\n

The prosecution also asks the investigator to clarify the sanction on the accused.<\/p>\n

In his reply, Wani said that their sanction was issued by the relevant authorities, which were administrative in nature, citing that the investigation committee had the copies.<\/p>\n

The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, during which the judges will thoroughly question the investigator on the files, documents, and statements. Subsequent sessions will hear the complainant and the witnesses testify.<\/p>\n

Last Wednesday the special court ordered the National Security Service to allow the seven detainees in Blue House to receive food from their families, spend one hour outdoors daily, and access medical doctors, all under strict supervision.<\/p>\n

In September, the government of South Sudan filed six charges, including treason and murder, against its First Vice President and opposition leader, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, and seven others in connection with the March 2025 Nasir incident.<\/p>\n

Dr. Joseph Geng Akec, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, announced in a press briefing in Juba that the government\u2019s investigative committee has concluded its probe and filed charges against Dr. Machar and his allies.<\/p>\n

The people accused, including Dr. Riek Machar and several others from the Sudan People\u2019s Liberation Movement\/Army\u2013In Opposition (SPLM\/A-IO), are said to have worked with the White Army to attack the Nasir barracks from March 3 to 7, 2025.<\/p>\n

The incident resulted in the deaths of Maj. Gen. David Majur Dak, over 250 SSPDF soldiers, and a United Nations pilot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Yiep Joseph As the trials for Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused enter the session of witnesses, the prosecution team has requested the special court to grant protection. This request followed the completion of Cross-examination last week by the defense team. The request for the protection of witnesses as[Read More…]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":41043,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[80,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","category-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/court.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41038"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41042,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41038\/revisions\/41042"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}