“I asked Kang Makana not to attack the SSPDF garrison,” Kang Chol tells court
JUBA – Suspended Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol told the Special Court on Wednesday that he personally urged White Army leader Kang Makana not to attack the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) garrison in Nasir, as he sought to help defuse escalating tensions in the area before violence erupted in March 2025.
Kang made the remarks during the 83rd sitting of the Special Court, where judges concluded their examination of the first accused in a trial linked to the deadly Nasir incident.
The examination involved detailed questioning by a three-judge panel regarding Kang’s alleged role in the events that led to clashes between local armed youth and government forces in Nasir County.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Justice Isaac Pur Majok asked Kang to explain the steps he took to prevent violence amid growing tensions along the Sobat Corridor.
In response, Kang said he reached out to several influential figures in Nasir, including Makana, the county’s paramount chief and the then county commissioner, urging them to work toward a peaceful resolution and prevent further escalation.
According to Kang, his efforts followed a meeting of the Expanded Presidency in Juba, which had resolved to pursue dialogue and peaceful measures to address the deteriorating security situation in the area.
“I asked Kang Makana not to attack the SSPDF garrison and that the matter shall be resolved as per the Presidency’s resolution,” Kang told the court.
He said Makana informed him that youth from his own section had already left Nasir and that he doubted his ability to influence armed youth from other sections, particularly after the killing of Tor Gille Thoan earlier that day.
Kang maintained that his actions were aimed at preventing violence rather than encouraging it, rejecting allegations that he played a role in coordinating attacks against government forces.
The suspended minister also challenged the authenticity of several communications presented by prosecutors as evidence. He denied sending some of the messages attributed to him and questioned the credibility of the contact records used during the investigation.
“I didn’t send some of the messages alleged to have been sent by me. Some of the contacts or names that were mentioned to have communicated with me, like James Chuol Tharjith, were not in my contact list before my arrest,” he said.
He further argued that inconsistencies in dates and timestamps cast doubt on the reliability of the communications submitted to the court.
Wednesday’s session marked the conclusion of Kang’s examination, a significant milestone in the high-profile case involving several senior figures associated with the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition.
The court adjourned proceedings until June 5, when the third accused, Mam Pal Dhuor, is expected to take the stand.
Among those facing charges is opposition leader Riek Machar Teny, alongside Puot Kang and six other co-accused.
Prosecutors allege that forces linked to the SPLA-IO, working alongside the White Army militia, attacked an SSPDF garrison in Nasir in March 2025, killing 257 soldiers, including commander David Majur Dak.
The prosecution further claims that military equipment valued at approximately $58 million was either destroyed or seized during the assault. The defendants have denied the allegations, and the trial continues.