Dr. Riek Machar, SPLM-IO leader, is currently undergoing trial over Nasir incident. (Courtesy photo)

Major General Basilio Thomas Wani, the lead investigator in the high-profile Nasir garrison attack case involving Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused, has been transferred from Northern Bahr el Ghazal to the Police Human Resource Development (HRD) College, where he will now serve as Principal.

According to a new order signed by the Inspector General of Police, General Abraham Manyuat Peter, Maj. Gen. Wani was moved from his position as Police Commissioner in Aweil to head the HRD Police College in Juba.

The transfer is part of a wider reshuffle affecting thirteen senior police officers across the country, including the Director of Traffic Police, Maj. Gen. Kon John Akot.

Maj. Gen. Wani gained national attention earlier this year when he led the investigation into the March 2025 Nasir attack, which prosecutors allege was carried out by SPLA-IO forces and allied White Army militia.

The assault reportedly resulted in the deaths of hundreds of government soldiers and has become one of South Sudan’s most politically sensitive court cases.

In his testimony before the special court in Juba, Wani told the judges that the first accused, Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chuol, allegedly financed the purchase of weapons used in the assault.

He also linked the suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, leader of the SPLA-IO, to the events, saying the attack took place under his command responsibility.

However, under cross-examination, Wani admitted that the investigation committee did not take the mandatory oath before beginning its work, and that no “material evidence” directly connected Dr. Machar or his co-accused to White Army commander Tor Gile Thoan, a point the defence team used to question the credibility of the investigation.

The defence also challenged the legality of the arrests, the methods used to collect evidence, and the decision to send confiscated electronic devices to South Africa for forensic analysis without domestic oversight.

The hearings, which have drawn wide media attention, have placed Maj. Gen. Wani at the centre of public debate.

His testimony has been key to the prosecution’s case, but it has also raised concerns about investigative standards, evidence handling, and the independence of the judicial process in South Sudan.

During the 19th court session held on November 10, 2025, the prosecution requested witness protection measures and interpreter assistance ahead of further testimonies from Wani and other key witnesses. The court is expected to resume proceedings later this month.

Maj. Gen. Wani’s new position as Principal of the HRD Police College is considered prestigious, giving him the responsibility of training and mentoring future police officers.

However, questions remain over whether his reassignment could affect his continued participation in the ongoing court proceedings.

The Nasir case, involving Dr. Riek Machar and seven other senior officials, stands as a rare trial of high-ranking political figures accused of wartime actions.