Special Court Drama Unfolds in Juba
A procedural snag briefly disrupted the high-profile Special Court hearing of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused in Juba this week.
Two defense lawyers were ejected on Monday after failing to show renewed bar licenses, triggering fresh debate on legal representation standards in South Sudan.
License Hurdle Briefly Halts Defense
Presiding Judge James Alala Deng acted on a prosecution request, ordering Advocates Deng John Deng and Wernyang Kiir Wernyang out of the courtroom until valid credentials were produced.
Their exit left lead counsel Advocate Geri Raimondo Legge scrambling to protect the defendants’ right to counsel under Article 19(7) of the Constitution and Section 182 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Chief Justice Steps In
On Wednesday, Legge told the court that he had personally petitioned Chief Justice Chan Reech Madut, who granted provisional permission for the two advocates to resume duties.
Original approval documents from the Supreme Court were handed to the bench, satisfying the procedural gap that had sparked the earlier suspension.
Prosecution Raises No Objection
State counsel Advocate Ajo Ohisa signaled acceptance, saying the prosecution welcomed the defense’s full team back in “the interest of justice” while asking the registry to double-check both licenses.
Judge Alala endorsed the reinstatement moments later, noting that the Supreme Court’s confirmation resolved the matter conclusively.
Next Phase of High-Profile Trial
With counsel restored, the Special Court scheduled proceedings to continue on the third Friday of this month, when prosecutors plan to call additional witnesses on the 2013 Nasir incident.
Observers say the brief license hiccup underscores the young nation’s effort to balance procedural rigor with the right to a robust defense in politically sensitive cases.