Judge Twanet Olivier : “in respect of count 1 you are sentenced to a period of 5 years imprisonment,  in respect of count two you are sentenced to a period of 2 years imprisonment, in respect of count 3 you are sentenced to R20,000 or to undergo six months imprisonment”

Magistrate Olivier sentenced Malema to five years in prison for unlawfully discharging a firearm in public during a 2018 party rally.

The sentence, delivered in April 2026, stems from Malema firing an assault rifle in the air, at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium during an EFF rally, with the court stressing individual accountability for breaching firearm laws, despite Malema’s political standing

The Magistrate Olivier stated the Malema’s action was not impulsive but a calculated event, emphasizing that public office bearers must be held accountable.

The EFF President was granted leave to appeal the sentence, allowing him to remain free while appealing, while Malema accused the court of delivering a politically motivated sentence.