Witnesses called by the prosecution to prove the guilt of four SPLM politicians on trial for treason failed to show up to the court yesterday, prompting the judges to adjourn the trial again.

The former SPLM Secretary-General Pag’an Amum Okiech is on trial alongside former security minister Oyai Deng, ex-deputy defense minister Majak d’Agoot and the nation’s former envoy to the USA, Ezekiel Gatkuoth.

In remarks to the court, the prosecution lawyers said their two witnesses were kept away by official duties. They did not provide more details, though previously it was disclosed that the prosecution would call security officials as witnesses.

The prosecution asked for the judges to adjourn the hearing. The judges agreed, postponing the trial until Wednesday.

Defense lawyer Kur Alor Kur objected to the request, calling for the prosecution to bring their four witnesses immediately.

Lead defense attorney Monyluak Alor expressed his unhappiness with the judges' decision to delay the hearings.

"That was very disappointing and we insisted that they should be made to bring other witnesses today," Alor said after the hearing, as quoted by Voice of America’s South Sudan in Focus programme.

He called the delay intentional, saying most of the witnesses are actually in town. If they were serious about the process, they would have brought other witnesses yesterday, he said.

Alor added that the second adjournment deprives his clients of the right to expeditious justice.

The special court began hearing the case of the four politicians two weeks ago. After two hearings on 11-12 March, the court adjourned the case for over a week.

Yesterday’s court sitting lasted only a quarter of an hour. The trial is resuming today.

File photo: The defendants at the opening of the trial on 11 March (Radio Tamazuj)