Julius Malema and ex-bodyguard await verdict in 2018 EFF rally gun case. Image by IOL
(The Post News)- Today, the East London Magistrate’s Court will issue its final ruling in the 2018 firearm discharge trial, bringing an end to the protracted legal drama involving Julius Malema Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader and his former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman.
The event at the EFF’s fifth anniversary demonstration at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane is at the heart of the controversial lawsuit, which has been going on for almost seven years. Malema appears to be on stage discharging a rifle into the air close to an estimated 20,000–30,000 fans in a widely shared video from the event.
Under the Firearms Control Act, Malema and Snyman are charged with several offenses, such as recklessly endangering people or property, unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition, and firing a firearm in a populated area. The trial depended on whether Malema’s handling of the object was a prop or an actual weapon.
To prove that the item was a genuine firearm and that Malema’s conduct was risky and illegal, the State cited video evidence and expert ballistics testimony. The prosecutor for the State maintained that the evidence, which includes expended cartridges found at the site, establishes the two people’s culpability beyond a reasonable doubt.
About the Author
