Lawyers representing a police officer, Captain Richard Ruai Kuol, on Tuesday challenged the admissibility of a video presented before the Joint Special Emergency Court for Organized Forces (JSEC) as evidence in his ongoing trial for assaulting a civilian in Juba.
On 5 May, Ruai was filmed assaulting and beating a young man with a stick along Cinema Street near the James Hotel following an altercation with a group of young men. The video went viral on social media and drew widespread condemnation from the public.
Speaking after the hearing, defence lawyer Selim Sebit Ramadan said the defence objected to the presentation of the video, arguing that prosecutors failed to establish its source and that it was not included in the case file before introducing it in court.
“The video was brought from social media and not from its original source,” he told journalists. “We objected to its presentation and acceptance as evidence because the source of the video has not been identified, and the defence was not provided with information on where and when it was recorded.”
According to the lawyer, the defense argued that introducing the footage after the prosecution had already presented its case amounted to a violation of legal procedures.
Ramadan said the defence requested the court to refer the video to an independent expert to verify its authenticity and determine whether it had been altered before being admitted as evidence.
“The court decided to continue with the proceedings, but we asked that the video be examined by an expert to ascertain its validity and safety,” he said.
The lawyer also questioned the legal basis of the proceedings, claiming there was no properly identified complainant before the court.
He said questioning during the hearing suggested that neither the alleged victim nor the head of the Criminal Investigation Department was formally acting as the complainant in the case.
“Without a complainant, there are legal questions that arise regarding the proceedings,” Ramadan argued, adding that the defence reserved the right to challenge any actions it considers inconsistent with the law.
The defence further maintained that the police officer at the centre of the case was not on official duty at the time of the alleged assault.
“During the incident, he was not wearing his police uniform and was not performing his official duties,” Ramadan said. “These are matters the court must consider.”
The court adjourned the case to Thursday, when defence witnesses are expected to testify.
Richard Ruai Kuol is facing trial over allegations that he assaulted a civilian in Juba, an incident that drew widespread public attention after videos circulated on social media.
At a previous hearing, a police investigator presented findings linking Kuol to the alleged assault and recommended that the court proceed with the case. The defense has denied wrongdoing and insists that all evidence should be subjected to proper legal scrutiny before a verdict is reached.
and then