A court in South Sudan has ruled that the trial over treason against Riak Machar will go ahead despite an appeal by the former vice president not to proceed with the case which resumes on Wednesday.
The special court which was looking into the appropriateness of hearing the case on Monday ruled that it was within its jurisdiction.
Machar and seven of his alleged accomplices are accused of committing treason, crimes against humanity and orchestrating the death of at least 250 soldiers including a senior army officer when the Nuer-dominated White Army militia attacked an army outpost in Upper Nile State last March.
The militia is considered an ally of Mr Machar who mantained that the case against him was politically motivated.
His case will resume on Wednesday after the court rejected his lawyers’ objections including his immunity from prosecution.
Juba appeared tense on Monday as South Sudanese civil servants and many workers in the private sector decided to stay from work in ancipation of trouble.
South Sudan, the world’s newest independent nation has been caught up in civil strife since Machar was accused of orchestrating a coup in December 2013.
Despite several agreements which culimated in a shaky government of national unity in 2018, peace remains elusive for the oil-rich country of almost 12million people.
WN/as/APA