South Sudan court rejects ex-VP's bid to halt murder and treason trial

South Sudan court rejects ex-VP Riek Machar's bid to halt murder and treason trial; he's been under house arrest since March. Charges from militia linked to Machar in March attack killing 250 soldiers; he denounces them as political "witch-hunt." Court dismisses objections, proceeds with trial on national offences, rejecting claim of immunity. Machar's defense cites a 2018 Peace Agreement for hybrid court trial, but the court asserts jurisdiction per Transitional Constitution 2011.