The special tribunal trying suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar heard fresh testimony on Wednesday linking him to the March 2025 Nasir killings through the doctrine of command responsibility, despite the absence of direct evidence that he personally ordered the attack.
During the 29th hearing at Freedom Hall in Juba, military investigator Major Peter Malual told the court that the joint investigation committee did not obtain any audio or video proving Dr. Riek Machar instructed forces to attack the SSPDF garrison in Nasir County.
However, he insisted that the evidence gathered pointed to a structured chain of command within the SPLA-IO and associated militia groups, which he said placed responsibility on senior leaders.
Defence Challenges Investigation
Meanwhile Dr. Riek Machar’s lawyers questioned the credibility of the investigation, arguing that the army suffered communication breakdowns in Nasir and lacked a coordinated response during the siege.
The defence also noted that Dr. Riek Machar had been in communication with the army at the time and asked the witness whether he assisted in coordinating evacuation, requesting UN aircraft, or facilitating food and water supplies.
Major Malual rejected the claims, stating that stranded soldiers survived on chickens in the barracks and water from the radiator of a vehicle before the army evacuated them.
Major Malual also confirmed that the military inquiry did not collaborate with the parallel police investigation and did not explore the relationship between Dr. Riek Machar’s chain of command and the attackers issues the defence argued were critical.
Prosecution Cites Committee Formed by Dr. Riek Machar
Another prosecution witness, identified as Deng, told the court that Dr. Riek Machar bears command responsibility because he allegedly formed a committee on 1 March 2025 to supervise SPLA-IO operations in Nasir.
The attack occurred two days later.According to Deng, the committee included militia commanders such as Tor Gile, head of the White Army, and his deputy Kang Makana, who are accused of leading the assault on the SSPDF base.
The court was shown video evidence in which Tor Gile and other accused individuals pledged allegiance to Dr. Riek Machar and the SPLA-IO. Deng said the footage also included a briefing by Gile outlining the attack strategy to youth fighters.
“These actions demonstrate command responsibility,” Deng told the judges. “As the commander-in-chief, Machar had authority over those forces, even if he was not physically present.”
Background and Charges
The case relates to the March 2025 attack in Nasir County, where White Army fighters clashed with government forces, resulting in the death of more than 200 SSPDF soldiers, including the base commander, Lt. Col. David Majur Dak.
Dr. Riek Machar and several accused individuals face charges including:
Murder
Conspiracy
Terrorism and financing terrorism
Treason
Destruction of public property
Crimes against humanity
The defence maintains that Dr. Riek Machar had no role in the attack and accuses prosecutors of relying on assumptions rather than concrete evidence.
Next HearingThe court adjourned the session to Friday, 12 December 2025, when judges are expected to directly question Major Malual and review additional evidence submitted by the prosecution.
