Julius Malema Sentenced: Five Years in Prison for Gun Offenses

Thu Apr 16 2026 18:53:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegal gun possession and discharging it in public. Despite the ruling, he is allowed to appeal.

Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters in South Africa, has been sentenced to five years for firing a gun illegally during a public event. The magistrate allowed him to appeal the decision, meaning he won’t be imprisoned immediately. Supporters rallied outside the court as Malema maintains his innocence, claiming the judicial actions against him are politically motivated.

Leading South African opposition politician Julius Malema, 45, has been sentenced to five years after being found guilty of the illegal possession of a gun and firing it in public.

But Magistrate Twanet Olivier allowed the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters and MP to appeal against the sentencing, meaning that he was not immediately taken to prison.

Earlier, standing in court in a dark suit and red tie, Malema showed little emotion as Olivier read out the sentence even though his political future was at stake.

Last year, he was convicted of five offences, including the unlawful possession of a firearm, discharging it in public and reckless endangerment.

If his sentence is upheld, Malema would be disqualified from being an MP for five years. However, political analyst Sandile Swana told the BBC that the appeals process was likely to take several years so the EFF leader would be able to pursue his political career in the meantime.

The charges related to an incident in 2018 when a video emerged showing Malema firing a semi-automatic rifle in the air during his party's fifth anniversary celebrations held in the country's Eastern Cape province.

During the trial in KuGompo City, which is the new name for East London, Malema told the court that he had fired the shots in celebration. However, during her sentencing ruling Olivier said it wasn't... an impulsive act. It was the event of the evening, the AFP news agency reports.

The magistrate emphasized that Malema was a public figure with a significant following and needed to be held accountable for his actions.

Addressing supporters outside the courthouse, Malema made charges of conspiracy against him, claiming the judicial actions were designed to silence him.

Supporters chanted in the Xhosa language, signaling their commitment to him as their leader. Hundreds of his followers came out in defense of Malema, demonstrating their loyalty amidst the controversy surrounding his legal battle.