South Sudan’s fragile political balance has been shaken after First Vice President Riek Machar was formally charged with murder, treason and crimes against humanity in connection with violent attacks by the White Army militia earlier this year.
The announcement was made on Thursday,11th September 2025 by Justice Minister Joseph Geng, who cited evidence linking Machar to the March assaults in the northeastern town of Nasir.
Just hours after the charges were unveiled, President Salva Kiir suspended Machar from office through a decree broadcast on state radio.
The move marked a dramatic escalation of tensions between the country’s two most powerful political camps.
Kiir and Machar, long-time rivals, had previously led opposing sides in South Sudan’s 2013–2018 civil war, a conflict that claimed an estimated 400,000 lives before a fragile peace deal brought them into a unity government.
According to Geng, investigations showed that the White Army “operated under the command and influence of certain leaders of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in Opposition (SPLM/A-iO), including Dr. Riek Machar Teny.”
He stressed that the case is now sub judice and urged patience as the judicial process unfolds.
Machar has been under house arrest since March, following the Nasir incident.
International actors have repeatedly called for his release, warning that prolonged detention could undermine peace efforts and push the country toward renewed instability.
In total, 21 individuals were indicted in the case, though 13 remain at large, according to the justice minister.
Edmund Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, urged transparency and impartiality in the trial, stating his hope that the proceedings would be handled by “a competent court.”
The latest developments deepen uncertainty in South Sudan’s fragile political landscape, raising fears of a potential return to violence as rival factions brace for the outcome of Machar’s trial.
