A South African Magistrate Court has sentenced Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema to five years in prison for firing a gun in public.
The court, presided over by Magistrate Twanet Olivier heard that Malema fired a gun during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in Mdantsane back in 2018.
Defence attorneys pleaded for a non-custodial sentence, but state prosecutor Advocate Joel Ceasar requested a prison term instead, arguing that Malema has not shown regret for putting people’s lives at peril.
The EFF has stated that it will challenge the court’s ruling in the interim.
”We will make occasional appeals to require her (the Magistrate) to post bond. Our attorneys even argued yesterday that the president [Malema] is not a flight danger, so we hope she will be sensible and stay within the law. Since 2018, the president has been helpful to the courts. He has never been absent from court,” the EFF said.
They argued that Malema has fulfilled every requirement for a responsible citizen and leader, adding that they are confident he will be granted bail.
“We are aware that the President will be sleeping at home today because this nation’s institutions are still in place and will pay attention to us,” the party said.
