In a statement issued Sunday, the lawyers, represented by Kur and Co. Advocates, said they have completed all legal preparations and are ready to mount a defence in line with national laws and international conventions.
“The Defence Team has completed its legal preparations and stands fully ready to defend the accused through legal means and objective arguments,” the statement read.
Machar and his co-accused, including the Minister of Petroleum Puot Kang Chol, were arrested in March following clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF) and the White Army, which resulted in the killing of Maj. Gen. David Majur Dak and over 250 soldiers. They have remained in detention ever since.
The government claims that “the White Army”, a community militia predominantly comprising the Nuer ethnic group, “operated under the command and influence of certain leaders of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition, including Dr. Riek Machar Teny, through coordinated military and political structures.”
The defence team was only granted access to Machar on Friday, September 12—their first meeting since his arrest. They also visited four of the other detainees the following day, though they have yet to meet with the remaining three.
While noting that the delay in access was concerning, the lawyers described the visits as a “positive step” toward ensuring a fair trial. They said the accused were in good health and maintaining stable morale.
As part of their strategy, the defence team has deferred taking statements from the accused, saying they want the process conducted in a proper legal environment, free from undue pressure or influence. Legal applications to this effect will be filed before the court.
The lawyers stressed that the case carries significant political and legal weight and urged the judiciary to let justice guide the proceedings.
“This case requires that justice be the guiding compass and truth the ultimate goal,” they said.
Machar’s trial, set to be one of the most closely watched in South Sudan’s recent history, comes at a time of heightened political tension, with both supporters and critics of the SPLM-IO leader awaiting the court’s next steps.
