In a move that has sparked debate in legal and academic circles, Geri Raymando Legge, the lead defence lawyer for suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, has set an exam question for his law students at the University of Juba based on the same treason case he is currently arguing in court.
Legge, who doubles as a lecturer at the School of Business and Management through the Center for Human Resource Development and Continuing Education, incorporated the case into the Constitutional Law paper for third-year, semester five students.
The Exam Question
According to sources at the university, the treason charges against Machar and seven senior SPLM-IO officials formed the basis of the very first exam question.
The scenario presented to students mirrored the charges read out by the Minister of Justice on September 11, which included:
Treason
Conspiracy to rebel
Murder
Crimes against humanity
The exam question asked students to imagine Machar approaching a law firm after his house arrest, claiming that his constitutional rights had been violated.
Students were then tasked with two major assignments:
1. Draft a grounded legal opinion on which court is competent to hear the case, the procedures leading to trial, and the provisions of law applicable.
2. Determine whether a case could be filed against the Minister of Justice’s decision, identify the competent court, outline the procedure, and cite the doctrine of law that could be applied against the Minister’s action.
Timing Raises Eyebrows
The exam was set just days before the highly publicized trial of Machar and his co-accused began at Freedom Hall in Juba on Monday, September 22.
The timing has drawn attention, with some observers praising Legge for creatively linking classroom learning to real-life cases, while others question whether it blurs the line between academia and ongoing judicial matters.
Academic vs. Legal Boundaries
Supporters of Legge’s approach argue that using live cases makes legal education more practical.
“This is the essence of constitutional law testing whether students can apply the law to unfolding realities,” said one lecturer at the University of Juba, who asked not to be named. “Students are getting exposure to how theory interacts with practice.”
However, critics say that setting an exam question on a case in which the lecturer himself is the lead counsel risks conflict of interest and could even prejudice ongoing proceedings.
“It puts students in a difficult position,” noted a Juba-based lawyer. “How do you answer an exam question knowing your lecturer is the one defending the case? Does it create pressure to echo his arguments?”
Spotlight on South Sudan’s Legal Education
The episode has also turned the spotlight on South Sudan’s young legal education system. The University of Juba remains the country’s premier institution for law studies, producing most of South Sudan’s lawyers, judges, and legal practitioners.
By integrating current national cases into the curriculum, lecturers like Legge are pushing the boundaries of applied legal training. For students, the Machar case exam was not just a test but a lesson in how legal theories play out in real time.
Broader Context
Dr. Riek Machar and his co-accused are facing trial before a Special Court in Juba.
The charges, linked to the Nasir incident in Upper Nile State earlier this year, carry severe penalties.
The defence has already raised preliminary objections challenging the court’s jurisdiction, with a ruling expected soon.
Legge himself has been at the forefront of these arguments, insisting that the trial violates both the constitution and the 2018 peace agreement.
Conclusion
Whether viewed as a bold teaching strategy or an ethically questionable overlap between academia and practice, Legge’s exam question has stirred public debate.
For his students, the assignment was more than just a classroom exercise it was a chance to grapple with one of the most consequential legal battles in South Sudan’s history.
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