The high court on Monday started hearing prosecution witnesses in the trial of seven men in the South Sudanese capital, Juba.
Activist Peter Biar Ajak and businessman Kerbino Wol are among the seven defendants. Biar was charged with terrorism, after eight months in jail.
The prosecution charged Biar and six detainees, including businessman Kerbino Wol, who has been in jail since April 2018, with public disorder, banditry, sabotage and possession of firearms.
Last week, the high court listened to investigators and one complainant from the national security service.
Speaking to the journalists after the court hearing Monday, Philip Anyang Ngong, a lawyer for Peter Biar said two prosecution witnesses testified before the judge. “Two prosecution witnesses testified, so it is now left to the court to weight the evidence presented in the case,” he said.
The lawyer further said more prosecution witnesses will appear before the court on Wednesday to be cross-examined by the defense. “We cannot comment much so far because it is too early, but we are on the right track,” said Anyang.
The defense lawyer downplayed the significance of the charges levelled against his client. He dismissed all the accusations made against Peter Biar, saying they were fabricated.
“It shows that these are fabricated charges against Peter. He was innocent and is still innocent,” he said.
Ajak Mayol Bior, lawyer for businessman Kerbino Wol, said the judge declined to release his client on bail.
“The court said the application is premature and that they will revisit it after hearing the witnesses because we are still waiting for more witnesses to come,” he said.
“Another application was on the properties and the companies of Kerbino which are impounded and the accounts are frozen. The court found it that it is not something that they can have a jurisdiction over,” he added.
“They have mentioned specifically that it should be treated as a judicial review of administrative action, which we have done. We had already asked the ministry of justice since last year to give us the go-ahead to bring this matter to this court, but until now we haven’t got any response or approval to bring our case before the high court challenging that administrative action.”
In October 2018, authorities closed any bank accounts in the name of Kerbino Wol and other related financial accounts.