Presiding Judge James Alala (center) and his colleagues oversee the trial for Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused in the Nasir Incident case, Wednesday, October 1, 2025. (Photo: Eye Radio/Moses Awan)

The defense team in the ongoing Nasir garrison attack trial revealed that two of the accused failed to appear before the Special Court in Juba on Friday due to illness, marking the third consecutive session they have missed.

Lead defense counsel, Advocate Geri Raimondo Legge, informed the court that the seventh accused, Lieutenant Mading Yak Riek, and the eighth accused, Dominic Gatgok Riek—a generator operator in the Office of the First Vice President—were unable to attend the proceedings because of their deteriorating health conditions.

The two defendants have been held in National Security Service (NSS) detention facilities since March 2025 and have yet to present their defense before the court.

The Special Court is currently hearing the defense statement of the third accused, lawmaker Hon. Gatwech Lam Pouch. Following the conclusion of his testimony, the remaining defendants—including the fourth, fifth, and sixth accused—are expected to take the stand to present their defense against the state’s charges.

Presiding Judge James Alala Deng adjourned the proceedings until Wednesday, June 24, 2026, when Hon. Gatwech Lam Pouch is expected to resume his defense testimony.