Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The special court trial of suspended First Vice President Riek Machar and seven co-accused has been adjourned to 8th April, as the cross-examination of a digital forensic expert continues.
A South African expert, Ratlhogo Peter Calvin Rafadi, who analysed evidence related to the March 2025 incident in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, has come under scrutiny from the defense over the use of allegedly outdated photographs.
During the 64th session at Freedom Hall in Juba, lead defense lawyer Dr. Geri Raymond Legge questioned Rafadi about images concerning the second accused, Mam Pal Dhuor. The defense argued that some of the photographs dated back to 2021 and 2022.
Rafadi acknowledged that the images were categorized as “additional findings” from a photo gallery, saying they depicted youths carrying rifles in a bush setting.
The defense pressed further, arguing that any link between those images and the alleged criminal activities relied largely on the expert’s interpretation.
Rafadi said his findings were based on keyword extraction, including terms such as “youth” and “gun,” from the accused’s phone data, and added that all evidence presented was derived from digital extraction processes regardless of when the material was created.
The court also examined claims linking a transfer of 625,000 Ethiopian birr to General Hokdor Chuol.
Rafadi testified that messages referencing “Nasir,” “birr,” and Mam Pal Dhuor were extracted from communication records, alongside images of ammunition allegedly shared in February 2025.
Presiding Judge James Alala Deng adjourned the hearing to Wednesday, 8th April 2026, to allow continuation of the cross-examination.
Machar, aged 73, and his co-defendants face multiple charges, including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property, and crimes against humanity.
Machar remains under house arrest, while the other accused are being held in National Security Service facilities in Juba.
Prosecutors allege that forces linked to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition, alongside the White Army militia, killed 257 South Sudan People’s Defense Forces soldiers, including commander David Majur Dak, during the March 2025 attack on the Nasir garrison.
The attack is also said to have resulted in the destruction or seizure of military equipment valued at approximately 58 million US dollars. -Michael
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