Julius Malema, an opposition politician from South Africa, was found guilty by a court of unlawfully possessing a firearm and firing it in public, and he was given a five-year prison sentence.
Malema’s attorney promised to file an appeal right away in an effort to prevent the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from being detained. Due to the possibility of his disqualification as an MP, the punishment may also have an impact on his standing in parliament.
Wearing a dark suit and scarlet tie, Malema maintained his composure in court as the magistrate handed out the decision.
The conviction comes after a case last year in which he was found guilty on five counts, including reckless endangerment, shooting a weapon in a public area, and unlawful possession of a handgun and ammunition.
The accusations are related to a 2018 event in which a video captured Malema firing several bullets into the air with a semi-automatic rifle while the Eastern Cape was celebrating the EFF’s fifth anniversary.
Malema defended himself by telling the court that the gun did not belong to him and that he fired the shots to excite the crowd.
Malema told supporters outside the East London court after the guilty verdict in October that “going to prison or death is a badge of honour.”
“We cannot be afraid to die for the revolution or to go to jail. They must understand that we will never back down, no matter what they decide to do.
Additionally, he promised to appeal the decision to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa.
After the footage of the incident became viral on the internet, the Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum, which has long been at odds with Malema and the EFF, started the case.
