By Oluwakemi Kindness
A South African court on Thursday sentenced opposition leader and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) head, Julius Malema, to five years in prison after finding him guilty of unlawfully discharging a firearm at a political rally eight years ago.
The ruling was delivered by Magistrate Twanet Olivier, who said Malema had deliberately violated firearm laws when he allegedly fired an assault rifle into the air during an EFF celebration in 2018.
The courtroom proceedings drew a large crowd of supporters, with hundreds of EFF members dressed in red gathering outside the court in protest and solidarity with their leader, reflecting the politically charged nature of the case.
The verdict marks a major development in a long-running legal matter that has continued to generate public debate and political tension in South Africa.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether Malema’s legal team will appeal the judgment.
