South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been found guilty of illegally discharging a rifle at a 2018 political rally. The politician, who leads the Economic Freedom Fighters party, was convicted of contravening the Firearms Control Act based on a video of the incident, which went viral. Malema’s defense, which claimed the weapon was a toy, was rejected by the magistrate. Notably, his former bodyguard, who allegedly handed him the rifle, was acquitted, prompting Malema to accuse the magistrate of racial bias. The politician, who faces up to 15 years in prison, has vowed to appeal the conviction up to the Constitutional Court. However, he could be sentenced to considerably less time in prison, as the offense does not have a minimum sentence.
AP
