A court in South Africa has sentenced opposition figure Julius Malema to five years in prison for unlawfully discharging a firearm at a political rally.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, stems from an incident in 2018 when Malema fired an assault rifle into the air during a celebration of his party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Magistrate Twanet Olivier said the act constituted a deliberate breach of the country’s firearm laws.
The sentencing drew a strong show of support for Malema, as hundreds of EFF supporters, many dressed in the party’s signature red attire, gathered outside the court.
