Julius Malema, leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters, has been sentenced to five years in prison. The conviction stems from an incident in 2018 where he fired a rifle in the air at a political rally.
Prosecutors had sought a maximum 15-year sentence, but the magistrate’s court delivered the five-year term on Thursday. Malema’s lawyers have immediately sought leave to appeal the decision, with legal arguments currently ongoing.
The ruling casts doubt on the political future of the opposition leader, and if upheld, would disqualify him from serving as a politician. He was previously convicted last year on the gun charges.
Malema has been a prominent figure and a target of criticism, and the sentencing follows a period of legal proceedings and debate surrounding the incident.