General in the dock on treason charges

A military court in South Sudan has begun hearing the case of an army general charged with treason for allegedly plotting a rebellion against President Salva Kiir's Government. Military spokesperson Santo Domic said Major General Stephen Rolnyang has been charged with treason and disobeying military orders. A report on the News24 site notes that he was arrested in May last year in northern Mayom, after defying orders to report to army headquarters in Juma. 'It is the prerogative of the commander-in-chief and the chief of defence forces of the army to see to it that justice must be done in cases related to insecurity,' Domic said. The court postponed the trial after Rolnyang's defence team complained that the ranks of those on the court panel were lower than their client's.