File: Gumbo Sherikat Special Court session March, 2021. Credit|Michael Daniel/Eye Radio.

Defense lawyers at the Gumbo Shirkat special court have called for charges against their clients to be dropped during Tuesday’s hearing on group B suspects.

Group B are those accused of killing Lual Akook, an SSPDF officer also known as Lual ‘Marine’.

Lual -who is also related to President Salva Kiir was shot on June 3, 2020, in the suburb of Juba, but later died at the hospital.

Six civilians were killed in the shootout between Lual’s bodyguard and some civilians.

There were protests in Juba and Bor over the incident.

A fact-finding team disclosed that Lual was involved in a land wrangle with some residents of Sherikat.

Those charged with his death include renowned military officers; Garang Akook, Abdalla Majier and 12 others who attended the court session on Tuesday.

In their submissions, the lawyers denied all the charges brought against their clients.

One of the lawyers requested the court to release his client, Abdalla Majier identified as suspect number 4.

According to Philip Anyang, his client was not at the crime scene on that fateful day.

Two of the suspects –who are not represented by any lawyer – told the court that they did not participate in the violence or the protests. Matur Paul told the court that he was arrested while leaving his uncle’s house.

The other suspect said he had just arrived from Jonglei to purchase some cows in Juba, and wasn’t involved in the wrangles.

The defense lawyers then requested the court to release their clients due to lack of sufficient evidence.

But the presiding judge did not respond directly to their request.

Judge Duoth Kulang only scheduled the next court session for Thursday, March 18, 2021.

“After listening to the submissions on the indictment by the defense team of the two parties; Group (A) and (B) and the circumstances of the procedures before this court, we have decided the following; to adjourn the session to Thursday, March 18th, at 10 am to hear evidence on the accused. This will include statements from the investigators involved in the police case,” he read the statement.

Hearings in the Gumbo Shirkat special court incident begun last month, but with only 4 suspects.

The court has been struggling to conduct proper hearing –sometimes –due to the absence of suspects and court exhibits. It wants to try all 23 suspects.

On Monday, the court session was abruptly adjourned because of a power cut in the hall.

Last week, the panel of 3 judges expressed their frustration over how the public prosecutor and the security organs have been handling the case. The judges accused the parties of not implementing several court orders.

The court wants those released on bail to be re-arrested and arraigned in court. But the police investigators say some of the suspects in Group B are outside the country, or have changed their telephone numbers.