Special court adjourns ruling on video testimony in Dr. Riek Machar case

The Special Court hearing the case against First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and seven others has adjourned its ruling on whether the fifth accused to testify to be recorded in video until August 19, 2026.

The judges delayed the decision because they were tied up with cases at the Supreme Court and needed more time to review the application.

At Monday’s session, the court recorded the presence of both legal teams, while the fourth accused missed the hearing due to illness.

The court will now deliver its decision on the video testimony request on Wednesday, August 19.

The delay follows another defence request filed last week on Monday, August 10.

In that application, defence lawyers for the suspended First Vice President requested that Dr. Machar’s upcoming testimony be recorded in both video and audio formats, alongside written transcripts, to ensure an accurate record and prevent any tampering or deletion of evidence.

The prosecution, led by Ajo Ohisa, opposed the application on procedural grounds during the court’s 106th session.

Justice James Alala had initially adjourned the case to Wednesday, August 12, for a decision before the court turned its focus to the fifth accused’s video testimony application.