By Matik Kueth
Defense lawyers for the First Vice President Riek Machar have challenged the credibility of a digital forensic expert, raising doubts over key WhatsApp evidence presented in an ongoing high-profile trial.
During the 64th session of the proceedings, lead defense counsel Anis Tombe Augustino subjected prosecution witness Ratlhogo Peter Calvin Rafadi to a detailed cross-examination, questioning the authenticity and interpretation of alleged messages linked to the third accused, Gatwech Lam Puoch.
The prosecution claims that Gatwech Lam used a WhatsApp group to request reinforcements to target government troops in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
However, Rafadi admitted under questioning that the specific message in dispute was not sent directly by Gatwech Lam, but was instead extracted from a group conversation in which he was a participant.
Pressed further by the defense, Rafadi acknowledged that he could not identify most members of the WhatsApp group, noting that many phone numbers were not saved under recognizable names in the device attributed to the accused.
This, the defense argued, weakens the reliability of linking any specific communication to Gatwech Lam.
Augustino also sought to establish whether there was any direct communication between Gatwech Lam and Tor Gile Thoan within the extracted data. Rafadi confirmed that no such direct exchange could be verified.
In another line of questioning, the defense challenged the attribution of a message that read, “those are messages written by your people,” asking whether there was concrete evidence tying it to Gatwech Lam.
Rafadi disagreed with that interpretation, clarifying that the message was part of the group chat and directed to all participants, not authored by the accused.
He further explained that messages in a WhatsApp group are received simultaneously by all members, emphasizing that Gatwech Lam’s presence in the group does not necessarily imply authorship or endorsement of specific messages.
Presiding over the session, Judge James Alala Deng adjourned the court until Friday, April 10, 2026, when cross-examination is set to continue.
Dr. Machar faces trial alongside seven other co-accused SPLM-IO members including Puot Kang Chuol, Mam Pal Dhuor, Gatwech Lam Puoch, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, Camilo Gatmai Kel, Mading Yak Riek, and Dominic Gatgok Riek.
They face a range of serious charges, including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property, and crimes against humanity.