Puot rejects charges, cites Nasir incident as 2018 agreement ceasefire violation

The suspended Minister of Petroleum, Puot Kang Chol, has rejected all charges against him before a special court in Juba, stating that the Nasir incident constitutes a ceasefire violation that must be addressed through the 2018 peace agreement.

During the court’s 73rd session on Monday, May 4, Puot delivered his first defense statement following months of prosecution arguments. He described the proceedings as one of the longest trials in the country’s history.

Puot informed the court that the prosecution failed to produce evidence to sustain the charges. He confirmed he will testify in his own defense under the Code of Evidence Act and will also speak on behalf of seven co-accused individuals.

In his submission, Puot linked the case to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). He argued that the Nasir incident should be viewed as a ceasefire violation occurring after the formation of the transitional government.

He maintained that such incidents fall under mechanisms established by the peace agreement, specifically monitoring bodies and the proposed Hybrid Court for South Sudan, rather than criminal prosecution in a national court. Puot further stated that the case is a tool to target political rivals.

Puot and seven others, including Riek Machar, face charges of murder, terrorism, treason, and crimes against humanity.

Prosecutors allege that forces linked to the SPLM-IO and the White Army killed 257 soldiers and destroyed military equipment during an attack in Nasir in March 2025.

The court adjourned the hearing to May 6, 2026, to allow the defense to continue its presentation.