A South African court has sentenced radical left-wing opposition leader Julius Malema to five years in prison over the firing of an assault rifle at a political rally eight years ago.
Hundreds of supporters dressed in red and loyal to his Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party gathered outside the court ahead of the ruling in the politically sensitive case.
Magistrate Twanet Olivier ruled that Malema deliberately breached firearm laws when he discharged a weapon into the air during an EFF celebration in 2018.
The judgment has drawn significant public attention due to Malema’s high-profile political status and the size of the crowd that gathered during the proceedings.
More details later…
