Suspended Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chuol told the Special Court on Wednesday that his communications with armed youth in Nasir County in March 2025 were intended to de-escalate tensions and prevent bloodshed, not to incite violence.
Kang, the first accused in the ongoing trial, made the remarks while presenting his defence during questioning by the three-judge panel at the court’s 83rd session.
Justice Isaac Pur Majok asked Kang to explain what he described as his positive role during the March 2025 incident in Nasir.
“I asked Kang Makana [current White Army leader] not to attack the SSPDF garrison and that the matter shall be resolved as per the presidency’s resolution,” Kang told the court. “He told me the youth from his section had left Nasir and he thought the youth from other sections would not listen to him because Tor Gille Thoan [late White Army leader] was killed in the morning hours.”
Kang said he communicated with the then Nasir County commissioner, James Gatluak Lew, as well as chiefs and youth leaders in an effort to prevent the situation from escalating.
“I informed the investigation committee about my communication with Kang Makana and also informed them that I was using my Zain line and, if they wanted, they could obtain the audio records from the Zain company,” he said.
The suspended minister told the court that he also engaged the paramount chief of Nasir County and the county commissioner to encourage the armed youth to stop fighting.
“I talked with the paramount chief of Nasir County and the commissioner of Nasir County, telling them that there shall be no fighting and to tell the youth that there shall be no fighting,” Kang said. “They all raised concerns that the youth would not listen to them, but I insisted they should go to them.”
Kang denied any involvement in the offences alleged by prosecutors and urged the court to consider the context of his contacts with the youth.
“During these conversations, we were persuading them; we were not ordering them because they are not under our command,” he said.
Judge Stephen Simon Binjigwa questioned Kang on why he referred to the group as “armed youth” rather than the “White Army,” the term used by the prosecution throughout the proceedings.
“I am referring to them as armed youth because these are youth who armed themselves, not anybody like it is in other parts of South Sudan,” Kang said. “You can take the example of youth that fought SSPDF in Warrap.”
Presiding Judge James Alala Deng adjourned proceedings until June 5, when the court is expected to examine the second accused, Mam Pal Dhuor.
Kang 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 an SSPDF base in Nasir.
The other defendants are First Vice President Riek Machar, Mam Pal Dhuor, Gatwech Lam Puoch, Lieutenant General 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 $58 million during the attack.
The defendants have denied the charges.
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