South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been found guilty of breaking firearm laws in connection with a 2018 political rally incident.
The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters was filmed firing a rifle during his party’s fifth anniversary celebration in the Eastern Cape. A magistrate ruled that the weapon was not a toy gun, as Malema claimed, rejecting his defence.
Malema’s bodyguard at the time, Adriaan Snyman, who was accused of supplying the rifle, was acquitted. Outside the court, Malema told supporters the verdict was racially biased, saying the magistrate cleared Snyman because he is white. The case was brought after Afriforum, an Afrikaner lobby group, pressed criminal charges.
The firebrand politician could face up to 15 years in prison, though sentencing guidelines give the magistrate discretion for a lighter penalty. Malema has vowed to appeal the ruling all the way to the Constitutional Court, with sentencing scheduled for January 23.
