A magistrate’s court in KuGompo City in the Eastern Cape has sentenced EFF leader Julius Malema to a total of five years’ imprisonment in his firearm case.
The case relates to an incident in which he discharged a firearm during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in Mdantsane in 2018.
On Wednesday, during arguments on mitigation and aggravation of the sentence, the state sought a prison sentence while the defence preferred a non-custodial sentence. Malema had been convicted for discharging a firearm in public.
State prosecutor Advocate Joel Ceasar said Malema has shown no remorse for endangering people’s lives.
Meanwhile, the EFF has indicated that it will appeal the court’s decision. A party representative said they will immediately appeal and ask that bail be extended. The party expressed hope that the court will be within the law and reasonable, arguing that Malema is not a flight risk. They said Malema has been cooperative with the courts since 2018 and has never missed a court date.
The EFF said Malema has complied with everything expected of a responsible leader and citizen. The party said deputy president Godrich Gardee is leading the legal team and that they are confident they will get bail. They added that Malema will sleep at home because the country’s institutions are still intact and will listen to them.