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by Emmanuel Garjiek
Juba, March 11, 2026 — A special court in Juba has rejected a defense request to open the mobile phones of seven co-accused alongside suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar in the ongoing treason case over the March 2025 Nasir garrison attacks.
During the 59th session on Wednesday, presiding Judge James Alala Deng ruled that the defense team could only review the hash values — digital codes used to confirm data integrity — provided by the prosecution’s forensic expert. He barred physical access to the devices, citing risks of tampering. The judge adjourned the trial to Monday and ordered the expert to make the hash values available to the defense by then.
Defense lawyers argued that opening the phones was necessary to confirm the authenticity of messages, photos, and videos extracted from the devices. Prosecutors countered that allowing direct access could compromise evidence and delay proceedings.
The case stems from the March 2025 attack on the Nasir military garrison, which left 257 soldiers dead and caused destruction or seizure of military equipment valued at about $58 million. Authorities say messages and media retrieved from the accused’s phones show coordination, financing, and operational planning linked to the assault.
Machar remains under house arrest, while his co-accused are detained at National Security Service facilities in Juba. They face charges including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property, and crimes against humanity.
