The second accused in the high-profile Nasir attack trial, which involves suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, on Wednesday pleaded with the special court to order the return of cash, vehicles, and other valuables taken from him by security officers during his arrest on 5 March, saying the seizure was unlawful.
On Monday, testifying through a court interpreter during the 85th court session, Mam Pal Dhuor, 38, said that while he was boarding a flight to Uganda, officers confiscated several items, including his passport, an HP laptop, three watches — among them a gold watch — US$1,158, SSP 23,000, a gold necklace, two rings, and a bag.
Earlier, during the 46th session, a South African digital forensic expert, Peter Calvin, presented evidence alleging that Pal unlawfully disclosed top-secret information related to the March 2025 attack on a military garrison in Nasir. The expert alleged that Pal shared sensitive operational details connected to the garrison attack, including information on mobilization, intelligence procedures, and organized militia strategies.
Concluding his testimony during the 86th session on Wednesday, Pal alleged that the security personnel who confiscated his valuables neither returned them to him nor formally presented them as exhibits.
“I pray to the court that my items taken by the National Security Service should be returned to me because I was unlawfully detained without justification and my family incurred loss during my one-year unlawful detainment,” he said.
The businessman denied prosecution and expert allegations, describing them as false, unfounded, and not supported by credible evidence.
“All the allegations leveled against me are not true, they are false, and nobody came from Nasir to testify that I took part in the Nasir incident,” he said. “Since 30 July 2022, I have never travelled to Nasir.”
Judge Stephen Simon Binjigwa, who sits on a panel of three judges, instructed that the third accused person, lawmaker Gatwech Lam Puoch, prepare to take the stand for examination after the court concludes questioning Pal on Friday, 12 June.
“The second accused has finished his examination. In the next session, the court will examine the second accused on Friday,” he stated. “The third accused should prepare himself to be examined.”
The court adjourned the hearing to Friday to cross-examine Pal.
Mam Pal Dhuor is among eight defendants facing charges including treason, crimes against humanity, murder, terrorism, and destruction of property in connection with the March 2025 attack on a South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) base in Nasir.
The other defendants include First Vice President Riek Machar, Puot Kang Chuol, Gatwech Lam Puoch, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, Camilo Gatmai Kel, Mading Yak Riek, and Dominic Gatgok Riek.
Machar remains under house arrest, while the remaining accused are being held by the National Security Service.
Prosecutors allege that Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) forces, allied with the White Army militia, killed 257 SSPDF soldiers, including commander David Majur Dak, and destroyed or seized military equipment worth about US$58 million during the attack.
The defendants have denied the charges.
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