Gatwech Lam Puoch, a co-accused in the trial of suspended First Vice President Riek Machar, told the court on Wednesday that prosecutors were attempting to implicate him in the violence that erupted in Nasir last year without presenting credible evidence.
Testifying during the 91st court session at Freedom Hall in Juba, Lam, the third accused in the case, said the prosecution had failed to provide evidence directly linking him to the clashes that occurred in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
“The position adopted by prosecution on this case clearly demonstrates the path and an attempt to implicate me in this case without tangible or credible evidence capable of substantiating the allegation,” Lam told the court.
Lam, who also represents Nasir County in the national parliament, argued that accusations linking him to the clashes were unsupported by facts and appeared intended to implicate him.
“The evidence before this honorable court, including the prosecution’s own exhibits and witnesses, confirms that the words attributed to me were never uttered by me and that the allegation is based on a mischaracterization of my actual statement,” he said.
Lam said the allegations against him were not only unsupported by evidence but also contradicted by the prosecution’s own submissions and witness testimony presented before the court.
“Among the allegations levelled against me is the prosecution’s claim that I described the Agwelek and Abushok forces as militia and asserted that their mission to Nasir was to disarm the local population,” he said.
He denied ever referring to the Agwelek and Abushok forces as militias, saying he had instead described them as forces that had not been integrated into the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).
“This allegation is entirely unfounded and without factual basis. I never used the term militia at any point. Thanks to the court for playing the video twice; the video explains it. I rather referred to them as forces not integrated into the SSPDF and stated that they were not part of the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) as provided for under Article 2.3.4 of the R-ARCSS,” he said.
Lam further claimed that the term “militia” was used by Gen. James Koang Chuol and Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo while addressing their forces in Malakal on Feb. 15, 2025.
“The video presented before this honorable court contains references to militia as well as discussions concerning disarmament. Furthermore, prosecution witness No. 1, Major Peter Malual Deng, acknowledged this fact during cross-examination by the defence counsel,” he said.
Presiding Judge James Alala Deng adjourned proceedings until Friday, 26 June, when Lam is expected to continue presenting his defence.
The defendants in the case include Machar, Puot Kang Chuol, Mam Pal Dhuor, Lieutenant General Gabriel Duop Lam, Camilo Gatmai Kel, Mading Yak Riek and Dominic Gatgok Riek.
Machar remains under house arrest, while the other defendants are being held by the National Security Service (NSS).
Prosecutors allege that SPLA-IO forces allied with the White Army militia killed 257 soldiers, including SSPDF commander David Majur Dak, and destroyed or seized military equipment worth about $58 million during the attack in Nasir.
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