The Vice President and Chairperson for the Infrastructure Cluster informed Muslims at the Iftar Ramadan that the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, will face court following an ongoing investigation.

On Saturday, March 29, during the Ramadan breakfast in Juba, Vice President Taban Deng Gai emphasized that Dr. Machar would be entitled to legal representation, either from South Sudan or abroad.

He also reassured the public that Dr. Machar is currently under house arrest and that all charges against him will be disclosed in due time.

“The First Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Riek Machar, has been placed under house arrest, and the charges against him will be announced publicly. These charges will be made known to the public so everyone understands whether they constitute a crime or not, and so he can proceed with the investigation to determine if it is indeed a crime,” said VP Taban.

He went on to clarify that if Dr. Machar is found guilty, he will face a transparent trial in a court of law. “He will be allowed to defend himself and can have lawyers from South Sudan or abroad,” said Taban, emphasizing that no one, not even the President or the First Vice President, is above the law.

“If the Vice President makes a mistake, he will be subject to legal procedures. He has not been harmed, and no one has offended him; he is respected in his home according to legal procedures.”

VP Taban also made it clear that Dr. Machar’s house arrest does not signify the suspension of the peace agreement. “The house arrest of the First Vice President does not mean the arrest of the agreement. The agreement is in effect,” he said.

“We have constitutionalists from the SPLM in opposition, other parties, and the government in the hall. The agreement is not imprisoned, and he is implementing the terms of the agreement, especially the security arrangements.”

Taban further expressed his stance on the ongoing issue of two armies within South Sudan, which he believes has been a source of tension.

“What caused all these problems is the issue of two armies in one country,” he stated. “I have been advising the First Vice President since 2016, urging him to find a solution to this problem.”

Last week, the government Spokesperson, Michael Makuei, confirmed the house arrest of First Vice President Dr Machar, pending an investigation against him over accusations that he “agitated” his forces to fight the government.

In a press conference on Friday, March 28, Makeui alleged that Machar had been in contact with his bases on the ground and specifically with the politicians and commanders of the SPLM/A-IO, “agitating them to rebel against the government to disrupt peace for elections not to be held.”