By Simon Nare
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has been granted leave to appeal his conviction and five-year direct imprisonment sentence for discharging a firearm in public at a party celebration in 2018.
The Eastern Cape High Court, Makhanda Division, ruled on Tuesday that the appeal would be heard by a full bench of the division.
“Having considered the notice of motion and the record of the proceedings in the above matter and having found compelling reasons,” the court ruled that leave to appeal the convictions was granted to the full bench of the Makhanda High Court.
Malema was sentenced by the East London Magistrates’ Court to five years in prison for firing a semi-automatic rifle into the air at the EFF’s anniversary rally in Mdantsane.
In handing down the sentence, magistrate Twanet Olivier said Malema’s clean criminal record and personal circumstances weighed in mitigation.
She said
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