AS IT HAPPENED | Malema’s moment of reckoning arrives as court moves to sentencing phase

Malema

Cape Town – EFF leader Julius Malema is set to learn his fate this week as he returns to the East London and KuGompo City Magistrates Courts for sentencing after being convicted of illegally discharging a firearm at the EFF’s 2018 Mdantsane rally — an incident captured on video.

Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of up to 15 years, which could see him lose his parliamentary seat if it exceeds 12 months.

Watch live proceedings below (courtesy of SABC News) 

The court rejected his defence that the weapon was not real, ruling that shots were fired in front of a crowd.

Malema maintains the case is politically motivated and has vowed to fight the outcome, saying, according to SABC News: “If they send me to prison, I will appeal, immediately. I will have a team in Bhisho and a team in East London, the same day. Once she says so, whatever, yes, then we put in a leave to appeal. Once she rejects it, the Bhisho team will petition the High Court and then send us proof that they’ve already petitioned the High Court.

He has also questioned the legitimacy of the ruling.

“Any ruling that is unjust, any ruling that doesn’t follow the law and the Constitution doesn’t deserve our respect,” EWNquoted him as saying.

As reported by TheCitizen, he insists an appeal would allow him to remain in Parliament and has pledged to stay active in politics regardless of the outcome, while EFF supporters prepare to follow proceedings at a stadium gathering.

“I even said before the jail term thatI am going to appeal this matter; so your immediate fears must be cleared. Once I appeal, the jail sentence they imposed on me is suspended,” the report quoted him as saying.

“Now, if they impose a jail sentence that is longer than 12 months without an option of a fine, I will not qualify to be a member of parliament, but once I appeal that, it suspends that thing. I continue those duties as a member of parliament as a member of the ethics committee, and as a member of the Judicial Services Commission (JCS).

“But even if they succeed in removing me, I have a home here called Winnie [Madikizela-Mandela] House. That is where the people’s parliament is, and that is where I will go and serve in the people’s parliament,” he claimed.

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