South African politician Julius Malema sentenced to prison for firing gun
Al Jazeera·3h ago·Neutral
What Happened
South African opposition politician Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, received a five-year prison sentence Thursday for firing a rifle at a 2018 party rally in Eastern Cape province. Convicted of unlawful firearm possession and discharging a weapon in public, the 45-year-old claimed the gun was a toy. His lawyers immediately applied to appeal. A confirmed sentence exceeding twelve months would prevent him from serving in parliament.
Key Entities
Julius MalemaEconomic Freedom FightersSouth AfricaEastern CapeMagistrate Twanet Olivier