Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema says the case against him, and his bodyguard Adriaan Snyman in the East London Regional Court, is a political witch hunt and abuse of limited state resources.
The duo is facing charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and contravening the Firearms Control Act. The incident occurred during the EFF’s 5th anniversary celebrations held at Sisa Dukashe Stadium at Mdantsane in 2018. Malema maintains his innocence. He says the firearm he allegedly discharged was a toy gun.
Arguing that he should have been arrested at Sisa Dukashe Stadium by the many police officers who were present if he had committed a crime.
Malema accused the State of succumbing to pressure of AfriForum by charging him with a case which he describes as baseless and founded on lies.
“The AfriForum is threatened by anyone who is advocating for a seat on the table for African people. Once you advocate on a struggle for Africans to be equal to a white man, you become the enemy of AfriForum, whose mission is to defend and protect white privilege and that’s why at every turn when they get an opportunity to discredit the leadership of the EFF, they do so even when they have got no evidence,”
However, the State maintains it has evidence to prosecute Malema.
“There was enough evidence to prosecute after a thorough police investigation the proceedings that are going on now and prosecution is based on the evidence that was collected which was brought to court and we believe there is a case for Mr Malema to answer,” says Luxolo Tyali, NPA Regional Spokesperson.
Malema has further expressed disappointment on the conduct of the presiding magistrate in the matter.
“I’m not happy with the magistrate but there is nothing I can do because it’s the court. When the ballistic expert of the SAPS was brought before the magistrate, the magistrate did not ask the ballistic expert when the signature of a peer review is when our ballistic expert was brought to the case, he was told he did not have a peer review signature. The magistrate asked what I must take this evidence for in the absence of the peer review, why did she not ask that question to the ballistic expert of SAPS.”
The matter will be back in court on the 1st of November for closing arguments.
Video: Malema says firearm discharge case to discredit EFF leaders
