JUBA – President Salva Kiir has suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol from their positions, to allow legal proceedings against them.
The suspension order was announced on state-owned broadcaster SSBC. It followed the conclusion of an investigation on the fighting in Nasir County, which indicted the SPLM-IO leader on serious charges of murder, treason and crimes against humanity.
Newly appointed Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech told journalists in a late briefing on Thursday that Dr. Machar will soon be put on trial to answer for the charges which also include conspiracy and financing terrorism.
The four-page statement only cited several sections of the penal code, but did not publish details of the investigation.
The allegations against the prominent opposition leader originated from the events surrounding the outbreak of deadly violence in Nasir County in Upper Nile State in March 2025.
The origin of the case was an administrative military deployment coordinated by SSPDF and SPLM/A-IO forces into Nasir town that turned into a disagreement. It quickly escalated into armed clashes, consequently killing many and displacing tens of thousands of civilians.