By Anita Dangazele
The long-running case against Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema was delayed on Monday after Magistrate Twanet Olivier ran out of time following a six-hour reading of the judgment.
The East London Magistrate’s Court was packed with party supporters waiting for a decision in a trial that has dragged on for more than five years.
Malema and his former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, face multiple charges under the Firearms Control Act. They include unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, firing a gun in a public area, and reckless endangerment.
The charges stem from the EFF’s fifth anniversary rally at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on 28 July 2018.
Both Malema and Snyman deny the charges. They insist the weapon Malema was seen using was a toy gun that could not fire live ammunition.
The state, however, says it was a real firearm. Prosecutors have called 19 witnesses, including ballistics experts, to back up their case.
On Monday, Magistrate Twanet Olivier said she spent most of the day reading through the evidence.
She explained there was not enough time to complete the ruling before court closed.
“There was a request that we should work until late tonight. That part of working late tonight, I cannot make that decision. That part will have to be taken up by whoever is present in court and can deal with that protocol,” she said.
Outside court, EFF deputy president Marshall Dlamini urged the court to wrap things up quickly. He said the party has lost a lot of time and money waiting for the case to end.
Pictured above: EFF leader Julius Malema at the East London Magistrates Court on Monday.
Image source: Economic Freedom Fighters
