- South Sudan’s First Vice-President Riek Machar faces murder, treason, and crimes against humanity charges.
- Charges linked to March assault by White Army militia that killed 250 soldiers and a UN pilot.
- Seven senior allies, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, also charged.
- Justice Minister insists rank or politics will not shield suspects.
- Case raises fears of renewed unrest in the fragile nation.
South Sudan’s Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech has confirmed that Vice-President Riek Machar has been charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity. The accusations stem from a March assault carried out by the White Army militia, a group said to be tied to Machar.
Since the announcement, troops and tanks have sealed off the roads to his Juba residence, where he remains under house arrest.
The White Army, mainly composed of Machar’s Nuer ethnic supporters, launched an attack on an army base in Nasir in March. Reports say around 250 soldiers and a general were killed, while a UN helicopter was also struck, leaving its pilot dead.
Machar is not the only one facing prosecution. Seven of his close allies, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Lt Gen Gabriel Duop Lam, the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff, are also charged. Another 13 suspects remain at large.
Justice Minister Akech maintained that political power will not protect those accused.
“This case sends a clear message that anyone responsible for atrocities will be held to account, regardless of their rank or influence,” he said.
Machar, who has not yet responded to the charges, is no stranger to conflict. He previously led forces in a bloody civil war against President Salva Kiir’s troops, a conflict that lasted five years and killed nearly 400,000 people before a 2018 peace deal.
While South Sudan’s independence in 2011 sparked hope, the country has faced recurring cycles of ethnic violence and political mistrust. The new charges against Machar now risk destabilizing the fragile peace once again.
