“Julius Malema was sentenced to five years in prison for firing a rifle in the air at a political rally in 2018.”

Media reportsNews reportApril 16, 2026Read the original

AP reporting on Malema's sentencing in East London magistrate's court.

Our verdict

True

A South African court sentenced Malema to five years on 16 April 2026 over the 2018 rally shooting; he is free pending appeal.

What we found

Magistrate Twanet Olivier sentenced the EFF leader to five years after his conviction in October 2025 on five firearm counts. Prosecutors had sought 15 years. Malema was released pending appeal.

The evidence

2 of 2 sources support the claim; none contradict it.

Contradict 0Support 2Background 0

Supports the claim
Malema was jailed for five years for firing rifle shots at a 2018 rally. [1]
Supports the claim
Arab News reports the five-year sentence. [2]

How we checked

We checked the claim against ABC News (AP), Arab News. We reviewed 2 relevant sources.

Sources

[1]ABC News (AP) · South African politician Julius Malema jailed for 5 years for firing rifle shots at rally
[2]Arab News · Julius Malema sentenced to 5 years for firing rifle shots at rally

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