S. Sudan court martial adjourns trial of soldiers accused of rape
June 7, 2017 (JUBA) – The trial of South Sudanese soldiers accused of raping aid workers in the capital, Juba on July 2016 stalled on Tuesday after witnesses and victims failed to appear before court.
The trial before the general court martial was adjourned until June 20.
Army spokesperson, Santo Domic Chol said hearing was adjourned to provide fair trial for both victims and the perpetrators, give time for the new prosecutor to study the case, and most of the witnesses and victims supposed to appear in this court are outside the country.
“All the relevant people needed in this case must appear in South Sudan and we do not know how long it will take for the complainant to ensure that all these people are here,” said Chol.
12 suspects are currently facing trial for alleged involvement in rape, looting, and killing at the Terrain hotel located in the South Sudan capital.
According to the army official, South Sudan is capable of providing protection to all witnesses who are due to appear before the court.
Violence broke out in the young nation in mid-December 2013 following a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and over two million displaced from the East African nation.
Meanwhile a U.S-based Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) official is in Juba to help prosecute South Sudanese soldiers accused of raping foreign aid workers during last year’s Terrain hotel incident.
The U.S embassy, in a statement, said the FBI assistant legal attaché attended a court martial session on Tuesday and will, while in Juba, consult local authorities to discuss the types of support the FBI can provide to all aspects of the investigation and prosecution.
“Following the attack by SPLA forces on the Terrain Hotel Compound on July 11, 2016, which included an assault on U.S. citizens, the U.S. government asked the government of the Republic of South Sudan to permit the FBI to assist in the investigation and the prosecution,” partly reads the U.S embassy’s statement.
“The Minister of Justice subsequently extended an invitation to the FBI to provide forensic assistance,” adds the statement.
The FBI, the U.S embassy further stated, routinely provides such investigative and prosecutorial support to countries throughout the world.
(ST)