The Special High Court in Juba on Thursday exonerated four people who were arrested alongside self-styled prophet Abraham Chol Maketh citing a lack of evidence.

The four acquitted are Samuel Mayen, Daniel Malith, David Chan, and James Garang.

Chol was arrested in July 2021 after ‘prophesying’ that President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar would be kicked out of office by or on Independence Day 9 July 2021.

Abraham Chol was charged under sections 76 and 202 of the Penal Code Act 2008 and initially 10 charges were brought against him eight of which were dropped by the court for lack of evidence. The churchman however denied all charges and said he was exercising his right to freedom of speech.

Speaking to reporters after the court hearing, Deng John Deng, a member of Chol’s defense team, said in the next hearing next week they will present four witnesses.

“We were given a chance as the defense to defend the main accused Abraham Chol and the next session will be for us to present our witnesses. We hope that at the end of the session, the court will dismiss all the charges against our client,” he said. “The prosecution failed to present evidence concerning the eight sections but the court found that the preliminary charges are in two sections.”

On his part, Latjor Kueth Jal, the lead prosecuting attorney, said the charges currently in court are not exactly what they presented.

“The sentence will be according to what is in the Penal Code but it is not what we presented in the court,” he said. “We brought many charges but the court only framed charges in only two sections.”