A South African court has sentenced opposition figure Julius Malema to five years in prison over a firearm incident that occurred during a political rally eight years ago.
The Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was found guilty of violating firearm regulations after discharging an assault rifle into the air during the party’s 2018 celebration.
The sentencing drew a crowd of EFF supporters, many dressed in the party’s signature red attire, who gathered outside the court in a show of solidarity.
Presiding magistrate Twanet Olivier ruled that the act was a deliberate breach of the country’s firearm laws.
