Puot Kang tells court digital evidence against him was “fabricated”

The suspended Minister of Petroleum, Puot Kang Chol, told the special court on Wednesday that some of the digital evidence presented against him was fabricated by the prosecution and its expert witness.

Puot, who is the first accused in the ongoing special court trial involving suspended First Vice President Riek Machar and others, made the remarks during the 79th session of the court.

During his testimony, Puot challenged several videos, WhatsApp conversations, contact lists and alleged intelligence reports earlier presented by a digital forensic expert witness.

He told the court that some of the alleged conversations and videos linked to armed youth activities and the Nasir incident were unknown to him and that he was seeing them for the first time during court proceedings.

Puot also denied allegations that he received intelligence reports related to the March 2025 attack on the Nasir garrison.

He further questioned how some videos and contacts were allegedly retrieved from his phone, arguing that the prosecution had not presented evidence directly linking him to the materials shown in court.

The accused also claimed that the dates, times and contents of some WhatsApp messages presented by the expert witness did not match the original messages on the devices.

According to Puot, the defense team had earlier requested the court to open the phones in court to verify the authenticity of the alleged conversations and digital evidence, but the request was overruled.

He denied allegations of financing armed youth in Nasir, receiving intelligence reports related to attacks on the Nasir garrison, and communicating with SPLA-IO commanders about the purchase of guns and ammunition.

Puot also argued that some individuals mentioned in the alleged conversations did not identify him by name and that investigators had not presented direct evidence linking him to the alleged activities.

Defense lawyers informed the court that accused number seven was absent for the third consecutive session due to illness.

The court adjourned the hearing to Friday, 22nd May 2026, for continuation of Puot Kang Chol’s testimony.