South African politician Julius Malema jailed for 5 years for firing rifle shots at rally

South African opposition leader Julius Malema was sentenced to five years in jail on Thursday for firing a rifle in the air at a rally, a judgement that could bar the prominent campaigner from parliament.

Soon after, the 45-year-old was allowed to appeal against his sentence by a magistrate in KuGompo City and released until the case is heard by the high court.

As the hearing was unfolding, hundreds of supporters of his far-left Economic Freedom Fighters group gathered outside the court, wearing the party’s trademark red berets and singing campaign songs.

Legal expert Ulrich Roux said Malema would not be transferred to jail while the appeal was pending.

Malema has said he will go all the way to the highest court to challenge the conviction, which stems from a 2018 incident at a stadium in the Eastern Cape province. He was convicted in October on five counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharge of a firearm in a built-up area and reckless endangerment.

Should the sentence be upheld after all appeals, it would disqualify the 45-year-old from serving as a politician, posing a significant setback for his Economic Freedom Fighters party.