Court sentence South African opposition politician Julius Malema to five years in prison for illegal possession of firearm

Leading South African opposition politician Julius Malema don dey sentenced to at least five years in prison afta court find am guilty of illegal possession of a gun and say e fire am for public.

But Magistrate Twanet Olivier don allow di leader of di Economic Freedom Fighters and MP to appeal against di verdict and sentencing, wey mean say e no go immediately go prison.

Di length of di sentence fit make di 45-year-old no dey qualified as MP again.

Earlier, as e stand for court inside one dark suit and red tie, Malema show little emotion as di magistrate Twanet Olivier read out di sentence.

Na last year court convict Malema of five offences, wey include di unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging it in a public space plus reckless endangerment.

Di charges bin relate to one incident wey hapun for 2018 wen one video come out wey show Malema wit one one semi-automatic rifle wey e take fire several shots for air during im party fifth anniversary celebrations wey hold for di kontri Eastern Cape province.

Receiving a sentence of more dan one year don disqualify am from being an MP, but dat no go apply until e don use im opportunities to appeal finish.

For im defence, Malema tell di court say no be im get di firearm and e bin fire di shots to ginger di crowd, South African news site SowetanLIVE bin report at di time.

But during her sentencing ruling Olivier say "No be something wey you do by mistake. Na di event of di evening," AFP news agency report.

She add say while im political standing no get bearing on her findings, e be pesin wey get large following for South Africa and suppose account for im actions.

Malema get long reputation as pesin wey dey outspoken, charismatic and radical left-wing politician and e get loyal band of supporters.

Plenty of im supporters bin gada outside di court, as dem support Malema wit chants and singing revolutionary songs.

Malema one time don be leader of di youth wing of di governing African National Congress. But afta e dey expelled from di party, following one falling-out wit di den President Jacob Zuma, e go on to form di EFF.

Wit Malema calls say make South Africans seize land wey belong to white pipo plus di arguments say make govment do more to transfer wealth give di black majority, di EFF get di ANC share of di vote. E bicom di kontri fourth largest party for di 2024 elections.

Afta court find am guilty last October, Malema tell im supporters outside di court for East London say, "going to prison or death na badge of honour".

"We no fit dey fear for prison [or] to die for di revolution. Anytin wey dem wan do, dem must no say we no go ever retreat."

E also vow say im go carry di case go South Africa highest court, di Constitutional Court.

Malema prosecution dey come wen Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum, wey get gbege wit am and di EFF, open di case against Malema afta di video bin go viral.

AfriForum also get hand for anoda conviction against di politician.

Last August, di equality court bin find am guilty of hate speech, afta some comments e do for one rally for 2022.

Afta one incident wia one white man allegedly assault one EFF member, Malema say: "No white man go beat me up... no ever dey afraid to kill. Revolution demand say at some point, killing must dey."

Di equality court bin rule say dis remarks "bin show intent to incite harm", but di EFF tok say dem take dia comment out of context.

Profile: Julius Malema

Julius Malema get reputation for challenging boundaries.

Im speeches for parliament sittings dey always blow-up social media. Di party wey e build from scratch almost 11 years ago don flourish to bicom South Africa third largest party and im reach no be just within South Africa nation but to oda countries for di continent.

Im vitality, plus im radical ideology don inspire plenty disenchanted South Africans. But di 45-year-old leader of di Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) get many critics, wey don accuse am of opportunism and dey always use im convictions for hate speech against am.

Dem born Malema for 1981 and im dey raised by im domestic worker mother Flora. E grow up for Seshego, one township for di northern Limpopo province.

Im final-year school results wey leak show say di future firebrand bin manage to pass wit a below average mark. Na far cry from di man wey don get two university degrees as e lead di EFF to political prominence.

Oga Malema tok say im join di ANC young pioneer movement for di age of nine, wia e dey trained in armed resistance, and e take am just five years to bicom di regional head of di ANC Youth League.

But na im election as ANC Youth League leader for 2008 bin turn am into key player for national politics.

Im earliest actions as leader na to noisily campaign for Oga Zuma to take ova - first as ANC leader and later as president – e bin tell one crowd of supporters say im go "kill for Zuma".

But Oga Malema relationship wit Oga Zuma soon sawa afta Zuma bicom president for 2009.

Malema bin accuse im former paddy say e ignore di poor voters wey ginger am to power.

Afta dem ban am from ANC, e form di EFF for 2013.

Di idea say di ANC distance imsef from dia support base and core values don remain im theme.

However, Oga Malema don in di past chop accuse say e betray di leftist ideology e dey promote.

For 2013, South Africa revenue authority tok say di party leader owe more dan $1m (£865,000) in unpaid taxes.

In order to pay di tax arrears, Malema gatz sell one unfinished mansion for Johannesburg upmarket Sandton suburb, wey include one cinema room plus cigar lounge.

E also face fraud and corruption charges wey bin relate to one govment contract. Afta three years, dem throw di charges out of court for 2015.

E dey always deny di charges and say dem dey politically motivated.

For 2018, Malema dey among one group wey chop accuse of looting about 2bn rand ($108m; £86m) from one bank wey di name na VBS. Malema rubbish di allegations and one parliamentary probe into di mata later close without conclusion as investigators say dem no get "sufficient information".

Oga Malema supporters dey always enjoy im gbasgbos, and e be inspirational orator wey im sharp focus on di rights of poor black South Africans don earn am dia love.