Why South Sudan has charged first Vice-President Machar with murder and treason
First Vice-President Riek Machar has been formally charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity in connection with a violent militia attack earlier this year, Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech announced Thursday, September 11.
The allegations stem primarily from a March assault on a military base in Nasir, Upper Nile State, in which more than 250 soldiers and a general were reportedly killed.
Machar, who has been under house arrest since late March, is accused of being involved with the White Army, a loosely organised militia largely composed of fighters from the Nuer ethnic group, and using “political and military structures” to influence or direct their operations during the attack.
In addition to Machar, seven individuals aligned with his Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in Opposition (SPLM-IO) have also been formally charged and suspended from their government posts.
Among them are Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Lt. General Gabriel Duop Lam, Deputy Chief of Staff of the army. A further 13 suspects remain at large.
President Salva Kiir, whose political relationship with Machar has been uneasy since the 2018 peace deal ended South Sudan’s five-year civil war, has suspended Machar as first vice president following the charges.
Machar’s spokesperson dismissed the charges as a “political witch-hunt”, arguing that the judicial system in South Sudan is not independent but instead “politically directed courts”. The SPLM-IO has warned that the move threatens to undermine the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement and could risk reigniting armed conflict.
Roads to Machar’s residence in Juba have been blocked by soldiers and tanks, heightening concerns about the potential for escalation. International actors, including the United Nations and the African Union, have urged restraint.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
