South African opposition politician Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of illegal gun possession and firing a weapon in public. Julius Malema was found guilty of the illegal possession of a gun and firing it in public. Malema was convicted of five offences, including the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging it in a public space, and reckless endangerment.
The charges relate to an incident in 2018 when a video emerged showing Malema using a semi-automatic rifle to fire several shots in the air during his party's fifth anniversary celebrations held in the country's Eastern Cape province. In court, Malema showed little emotion as the magistrate read out the sentence. Malema's lawyer said he would be appealing against the decision.
Receiving a sentence of more than one year disqualifies Malema from being an MP, but that will not be applied until his opportunities to appeal have been exhausted. The sentencing follows Malema's conviction last year on multiple charges stemming from the 2018 incident. The court proceedings have drawn significant attention due to Malema's high-profile political role as leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters opposition party.
Legal experts note that the appeal process could extend for months or years before any parliamentary disqualification takes effect.