Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang spoke to Eye Radio at the SSPDF General Court Martial in Juba on Wednesday, 21st June 2023. Photo Credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio.

The General Court Martial in Juba has adjourned the first hearing into the case of over 30 suspects who were arrested for allegedly killing 54 army officers in Tonj South County, Warrap State in 2022.

They allegedly counter-attacked SSPDF forces on June 26, 2022, in Rual-Bet Payam of Tonj North County in Warrap State. The troops were deployed to recover 124 raided heads of cattle from the area.

54 soldiers including two SSPDF officers and a colonel were killed in the offensive.

The 33 prime suspects are civilians and members of the army, prisons, and police who had deserted their workplace before the incident.

SSPDF spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai says the court session scheduled to take place today had to be adjourned due to the incomplete composition of the court and the absence of defense and prosecution teams.

“The composition of the General Court Martial is not complete, one of the members is not feeling well,” Lul told Eye Radio shortly after the session was adjourned.

The army spokesperson also said one of the reasons for the postponement was that some of the legal teams were absent as they went to a workshop,

“So, we are missing our defense team as well as the prosecution team, and as a result. We said it will not serve any purpose for them [suspects] to be brought because once they appear, all these units are needed to make their first court appearance with the suspects so we decided to push it back.”

“They will be attending a workshop for about a week, today is the 21^st until the 28^th so we will be updated on the 29^th of this month.”

The postponed court session was supposed to be presided upon by Majok Michael and deputized by a police investigator with representatives from National Security Service

The first appearance was intended to physically verify the suspects, to hear views on the composition of the general court-martial, and to know how many suspects have defense lawyers or not.