[VIDEO] – Riek Machar Faces Treason Charges in Juba

(JUBA) – South Sudan has charged First Vice President Riek Machar Teny and seven senior officials with treason, terrorism and crimes against humanity, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs confirmed on Thursday.

Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech announced the indictments in Juba, saying the case should serve as a warning to political and military leaders accused of committing atrocities. He stated that accountability must apply regardless of political influence or seniority in government.

Machar has been under detention for the past six months following his arrest earlier this year after allegations surfaced that he was planning a rebellion. Among the accused is Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, a key figure in South Sudan’s oil industry and Gabriel Duop Lam, a former deputy army chief.

The charges also include murder, conspiracy and destruction of public property. They are linked to the March 2025 attack in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, where armed Nuer youth, known as the White Army, stormed a military barracks. Officials say the attack resulted in the deaths of around 250 government soldiers and a United Nations pilot.

According to the Justice Minister, evidence gathered by investigators shows that the White Army operated under the command of senior leaders of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), including Machar.

Political tensions have been rising since President Salva Kiir postponed elections that were due under the 2018 revitalised peace agreement. That deal had ended five years of civil war and paved the way for Machar’s return to government.

Observers warn that the latest indictments could destabilise the fragile peace process and weaken trust among parties still trying to implement key provisions, including the unification of armed forces and drafting of a permanent constitution.

President Kiir, who has led the country since independence in 2011, has dismissed or sidelined several senior officials in recent years. Analysts, including the International Crisis Group, suggest he is consolidating power in favour of his close business ally, Benjamin Bol Mel, considered by some as his likely successor.

In a report last week, the International Crisis Group cautioned that South Sudan is entering a dangerous and uncertain phase. It highlighted growing threats linked to unresolved political disputes, leadership succession and the fallout from the latest arrests.

The developments mark one of the most serious legal challenges for Vice President Machar, whose uneasy partnership with Kiir has been central to South Sudan’s political settlement since the 2018 peace deal.

Vice President Accused of Plotting Rebellion