The Special Court presiding over the case of Dr. Riek Machar Teny and seven co-accused has dismissed two defense lawyers, Kiir Warnyang and Deng John Deng, from participating in the ongoing proceedings.
The decision was announced by Presiding Judge Justice James Alala Deng, citing Section 136(2) of the Constitution.
The dismissal follows an objection raised by the prosecution team, which contested the participation of the two defense lawyers. The court upheld the objection and overruled all counter-objections presented by the defense.
In a related ruling, the presiding judge allowed the continued participation of a private advocate representing the prosecution, despite objections from the defense team.
The court granted permission for the trial to proceed.
On Tuesday, both defense and prosecution teams presented their arguments before a specially appointed panel of judges at Freedom Hall in Juba, where the high-profile proceedings are being held under tight security.
The lead defense counsel for Dr. Riek Machar, Advocate Dr. Geri Reymond Legge, challenged the legality of the Special Court, arguing that its establishment contravenes the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
