South Sudan military court at Giyada, Juba /Photo @Eye Radio

The hearing of the case against Major-General Stephen Buay charged with treason has been adjourned to next week after defence lawyers rejected the judicial panel.

Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang, who was captured by Special Forces commanded by Gen. Mathew Puljang in Mayom, in May last year, was the commander of 5^th Infantry Division based in Wau.

He is accused of rebelling against the government.

According to the army, he is charged with disobedience of standing orders, disobedience of lawful orders, treason and offences related to insecurity.

“One of the charges is section 69 in the SPLA act 2019, that is disobedience of standing orders, and again section 70, that is disobedience of lawful orders and section 60, that is treason,” the deputy spokesperson of the SSDPF – Brigadier Santo Domic, described the offences.

The Defense lawyer, Philip Anyang Ngong, said the court was wrongly constituted by the Chief of Defense Forces.

He also argued that the judicial panel is comprised of officers who are in the same rank with the accused – a move he said is against the SPLA act, 2009.

“The person who is being tried is senior in rank and the SPLA act is very clear on this. Section 36/2 [states] that any order to try a brigadier general and above, should be made by the President.”