Foreign Forensic Expert. Ratlhogo Peter Calvin Rafadi

A South African digital forensic expert told the special court Wednesday that his company was the only firm contracted by the South Sudanese government to analyze electronic evidence in the trial of suspended First Vice President Riek Machar and seven co-defendants.

Ratlhogo Peter Calvin Rafadi, a Johannesburg-based investigator and owner of cyber security firm Bizz-Tracers, said his company was exclusively engaged by investigators through South Sudan’s embassy in Pretoria.

Testifying during cross-examination at a hearing in Juba, Rafadi said no other private firms or independent experts were invited to bid for the work.

Under questioning by Machar’s lead defense lawyer, Dr. Geri Raimondo Lgge, Rafadi said he was contracted through his company, not as an individual, and submitted his documents for consideration in June 2025.

He also told the court that messages extracted from a mobile phone belonging to co-accused Mam Pal Dhuor showed communication with a contact identified as “John P. K,” whom he said corresponded to Puot Kang Chol.

Asked whether he had independent confirmation from a telecommunications authority linking the number to Puot Kang Chol, Rafadi said the identification was based on the phonebook data retrieved from the device.

Presiding Judge James Alala Deng adjourned the trial until March 25 to allow for the continuation of Rafadi’s cross-examination.