Defense lawyers for suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused challenged the credibility of a digital forensic expert over claims that Gatwech Lam Puoch, the third accused, requested reinforcements to target government troops in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
During the 64th session of the trial, Machar’s lawyer, Anis Tombe Augustino, cross-examined the expert, scrutinizing the authenticity, interpretation, and basis of the alleged WhatsApp communication.
Prosecution witness Ratlhogo Peter Calvin Rafadi said the message in question, extracted from a WhatsApp group, was not sent directly by Gatwech Lam Puoch but noted that he was an active participant in the group.
Tombe pressed Calvin to identify the group’s members and total participants. “I did not identify most participants, as their numbers were not saved under names in the third accused’s phonebook,” Calvin said.
Tombe also asked whether there had been any communication between Tor Gile Thoan and Gatwech Lam based on the extracted messages. Calvin said no such communication could be confirmed.
When asked if there was verified evidence linking the message stating, “those are messages written by your people,” to Gatwech Lam, Calvin said, “No, I do not agree. This message is extracted as digital evidence from the third accused’s phone and is directed to him and other participants in the group chat.”
Clarifying further, Calvin said the message was sent to Gatwech Lam as part of the group chat, meaning all group members received it in real time. “If you are in the WhatsApp group, you equally and directly receive the messages the moment they are communicated,” he said.
Presiding Judge James Alala Deng adjourned the session to Friday, April 10, 2026, to continue the cross-examination.
Machar, 73, and his co-defendants face charges including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property, and crimes against humanity. Machar remains under house arrest, while the others are held at National Security Service facilities in Juba.
The seven co-defendants are Puot Kang Chuol, 40; Mam Pal Dhuor, 37; Gatwech Lam Puoch, 66; Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, 53; Camilo Gatmai Kel, 47; Mading Yak Riek, 45; and Dominic Gatgok Riek, 27.
Prosecutors allege forces linked to the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition, allied with the White Army militia, killed 257 soldiers from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces including commander David Majur Dak, and destroyed or seized military equipment valued at about $58 million during an attack on the Nasir garrison in March 2025.
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