Link to web article here.

March 20, 2014 (JUBA) – A South Sudanese high court on Thursday ruled that it would continue hearing the treason charge case against four of the country’s senior politicians, despite the absence in court of the seven co-accused officials released over a month ago.

Former secretary general of the SPLM party Pagan Amum attends his court trial in Juba, March 11, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Andreea Campanu)

State persecutor, James Mayen had last week asked court to adjourn the trial for a week, pending the arrival in court of the seven officials, now in the hands of Kenyan authorities.

The court trial, which was meant to start Wednesday, could not take place after Mayen told court that issue of the seven politicians in Kenya was still being pursued by the foreign affairs ministry.

“It is matter of time and they [seven co-accused] will come”, said the state prosecutor.

DEFENSE LAWYER OBJECTS

But Monytil Alor, the lawyer defending the four treason suspects, objected the state prosecutor’s request.

Also, the five judges of the high court hearing the case later observed that the politicians in Kenya were not legally obliged to appear in court because “bail regulations were not followed” when the seven were released.

“[In order] not to delay justice for the four accused, the request made by prosecutor is rejected,” the judges, headed by Justice James Alala ruled.

They said the trial of the four officials, who include the former secretary general of South Sudan’s ruling party, Pagan Amum, former ministers, Majak D’Agot and Oyai Deng and ex-ambassador, Ezekiel Gatkuoth could continue irrespective of the absence of the other seven released on bail.

DEFENCE HAILS COURT RULING

Alor described the ruling made by the judges as “victory for the defence”.

“The persecution [team] wanted to delay the trial on the ground that the seven (released on bail) were not brought and they (the persecution team) wanted to wait for the seven. We objected to that vigorously,” the defence lawyer told Sudan Tribune.

Meanwhile, state witnesses who included a police officer indentified as Siad Abudalizi and Marial Chanuon, the commander of presidential guards testified before court that South Sudan’s former vice-president Riek Machar and his group, who included the four officials now on trial incited the mid-December 2013 violence in town and military barracks.

The trail continues Friday with lawyers from both sides cross-examining witnesses.

Some of the state witnesses include, police Maj-Gen Marial Nuor, interior minister, Aleu Ayieny Aleu, director for military intelligence Mac Paul, director-general for the internal security bureau, Akol Koor Kuc, and director-general for external relations Thomas Duoth.

None of these senior officials, however, showed up in the court during the trial opening, although a case number was obtained from the police station with officials claiming liability.

The defence lawyers have vowed to make public witnesses for the accused.

JUBA DEFIES PRESSURE

South Sudan on Thursday ensured the trial of the four accused officials got underway, despite mounting global pressure demanding their release ahead of the resumption of peace talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa this month.

Throughout the trial, which commenced last week, spectators expressed curiosity over the lack of complainants against the accused, although some security officers and government officials have emerged as eyewitness to the mid-December event.

(ST)