Riek Machar trial adjourned following security threat allegations

The trial of suspended South Sudanese First Vice-President Riek Machar and seven co-accused has been adjourned until September 23. The delay follows a written application by defense counsel alleging serious threats to the lives of the defendants and their legal team.

During the 115th session of the Special Court, Presiding Judge James Alala Deng accepted the security application but directed that its specific details not be read in open court. The court intends to use the interval to investigate the claims and implement necessary security measures.

In response to the adjournment, the South Sudanese government has dismissed allegations from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) regarding potential assassination plots against Machar. Information Minister Ateny Wek Ateny described the claims as “totally baseless and false,” asserting that Machar is under heavy security protection at his residence in Juba, where he has been under house arrest since March 2025.