The trial of suspended First Vice President Riek Machar and seven co-defendants was adjourned on Friday after one of the three judges hearing the case fell ill, the court said.
Judge Stephen Simon Binjigwa said the court would resume proceedings on Wednesday, July 8, after Judge Isaac Pur Majok was unable to attend.
“This session was fixed for the court to pronounce on the prosecution’s application, but because of the sickness of our colleague, this session is adjourned to Wednesday, July 8, 2026,” Binjigwa told the court during its 94th session.
The court is expected to rule on a prosecution application seeking to allow the remaining defendants to submit written defence statements instead of lengthy oral testimony before continuing the testimony of the third accused, Gatwech Lam Puoch.
Lead prosecutor Ajo Ony’Ohissa argued during the court’s 92nd session that written defence statements would speed up the trial while preserving the defendants’ right to present their case.
Defence lawyer Kur Lual Kur opposed the application, saying the case is criminal in nature and that the accused have a fundamental right to present their defence through oral testimony, regardless of how long the proceedings take.
Machar, 73, and the seven co-defendants are charged with murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property and crimes against humanity.
Machar is under house arrest, while the other defendants are being held at National Security Service facilities in Juba.
The co-defendants are Puot Kang Chol, Mam Pal Dhuor, Gatwech Lam Puoch, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, Camilo Gatmai Kel, Mading Yak Riek and Dominic Gatgok Riek.
Prosecutors allege that SPLA-IO forces allied with the White Army killed 257 South Sudan People’s Defence Forces soldiers, including commander Gen. David Majur Dak, and destroyed or captured military equipment worth about $58 million during an attack on the Nasir military garrison in March 2025.
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