EAST LONDON – EFF leader, Julius Malema, has been found guilty of violating the Firearms Control Act when he discharged a rifle in public in 2018.
He now awaits pre-sentencing set for January.
Speaking outside the East London Magistrates’ Court after the judgment, Malema said the verdict does not faze him and that he plans to appeal it.
But legal expert, Ulrich Roux, says his chances of succeeding are slim.
Roux notes that Magistrate Twanet Olivier thoroughly evaluated all the evidence during the recap and delivered a reasonable conviction.
"Malema claimed the gun he fired was a toy, but both the ballistic expert and a witness confirmed they saw fire coming from the barrel. The ballistic expert evaluated the firearm and confirmed it was not merely a toy. Malema’s testimony did not help his case, especially when asked how many shots he fired and who handed him the gun,” Roux said.
Roux believes Malema’s appeal will rely entirely on the trial record, including testimony and evidence that could work against him.
[SRC] https://www.enca.com/news/legal-expert-doubts-malema-will-win-gun-trial-appeal
