Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Electronic devices seized from South Sudan’s First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, and seven co-accused have reportedly been sent to South Africa for data extraction and analysis, in what defense lawyers describe as a serious breach of judicial procedure.
During the 15th session of the ongoing trial, it emerged that the confiscated phones and laptops were transported to an unnamed private company in Pretoria, South Africa, without following official judicial cooperation channels.
The move, the defense argued, constitutes a “blatant circumvention” of international legal norms, as South Sudan has no technical or judicial assistance agreement with South Africa.
Testimonies before the court revealed that the devices were taken abroad by Mr. Denis Dumo, a diplomat working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and is not a member of the official investigation committee, raising questions about the legality and integrity of the evidence transfer.
The defense further challenged the prosecution over the disappearance of six radio communication devices allegedly confiscated from Machar’s residence.
When pressed under cross-examination, lead investigator Maj. Gen. Basilio Thomas Wani initially claimed all seized items were in the custody of the National Security Service but later admitted he did not know their current location.
Additionally, it was revealed that the search conducted at the residence of the First Vice President and other detainees was carried out without a warrant issued by either the Public Prosecutor or the court — a move that violates South Sudan’s Criminal Procedure Act and constitutional safeguards.
The revelations have added a new twist to the high-profile case, which has been closely followed both domestically and internationally. Legal observers say the alleged procedural violations could significantly affect the admissibility of key evidence and the credibility of the prosecution’s case.
The court is expected to resume hearings this week as scrutiny intensifies over how the investigation was conducted and whether due process was followed in handling the seized materials.
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