Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has insisted on his innocence in the guns discharge case, saying that the purported pistol was a prop used in a performance meant for amusement.
EFF fifth birthday celebrations
Various charges related to a 2018 incident in which Malema was seen on camera purportedly firing what looked to be an automatic assault rifle during the EFF’s fifth birthday celebrations at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane are being tried against him and his bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, at the East London Magistrate’s Court.
Snyman faces two charges under the Firearms Control Act, while the red berets commanders are charged with five counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a public place, and reckless endangerment of person or property.
“I’ve never had ammunition, and I’ve never fired a gun. The dome is the location where it was claimed I was firing live fire. It is inevitable that the specific stage will be damaged if you fire from that position with the cannon aimed upwards.
Malema gives his side of story
The stage crew arrived and informed the judge and jury that the police had inspected the area and that no properties had been harmed, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that no live ammunition had been fired from the platform. In addition, since I was never in a position to jeopardize life, I have not endangered any and have not needed to take any preventative action to save lives, Malema stated.
Malema also spoke up for Snyman, telling the judge that Snyman’s charges were an attempt to get the bodyguard to turn on him.
“I don’t see why an innocent man gets charged. Furthermore, nobody has ever said, “Accused number two has given me the gun.”
Play gun
Malema brought in the “toy gun” to show magistrate Twanett Olivier what it looks like in court.
On Thursday, or today, the case pertaining to Malema’s firearm discharge will recommence. Joel Cesar, the state prosecutor advocate, is anticipated to cross-examine the head of the Red Berets.
Malema attacked Olivier last year, calling her decision in his continuing gun case a “sponsored judgment.”
This comes after Olivier turned down Malema’s request to have the 2018 firearms offense charge dismissed from court.
After a brief adjournment of the court due to Olivier’s forgetting her judgment notes in her chambers, Malema accused Olivier of being corrupt and inept.
