Court Sentences Julius Malema to Five Years in Prison for Firearm Discharge

Julius Malema, South African opposition politician, has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of illegal possession of a gun and firing same in public.

The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) showed little emotion as Twanet Olivier, the magistrate, read out the sentence in an East London court in South Africa on Thursday.

Malema’s lawyer immediately appealed the decision in a bid to stop the 45-year-old from being taken to prison.

The length of the sentence could see him disqualified as a member of parliament.

The charges stemmed from a 2018 incident during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

A video at the time showed Malema using a semi-automatic rifle to fire several shots into the air.

In his defence, Malema told the court the firearm was not his and that he had fired the shots to rouse the crowd.

But the magistrate rejected that argument during sentencing, saying “it wasn’t… an impulsive act. It was the event of the evening”.

“In respect of count 1 you are sentenced to a period of 5 years imprisonment, in respect of count two you are sentenced to a period of 2 years imprisonment, in respect of count 3 you are sentenced to R20,000 or to undergo six months imprisonment,” Olivier ruled.

Malema was convicted last October on five offences, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging it in a public space and reckless endangerment.

After the conviction, the outspoken radical left-wing politician told supporters outside the court in East London that “going to prison or death is a badge of honour”.

“We cannot be scared of prison [or] to die for the revolution. Whatever they want to do, they must know we will never retreat,” he said.

Malema has vowed to take the case all the way to the Constitutional Court, South Africa’s highest court.