#FreeAndileLungisa trends after his first night behind bars
Lungisa has filed an application to the Constitutional Court for leave to appeal the sentence and a bail application pending the outcome of the former.
Nelson Mandela Bay ANC councillor Andile Lungisa outside the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court before the verdict on his assault case on April 17, 2018 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Lungisa was found guilty of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm for smashing a glass jug over the head of former member of the mayoral committee Rano Kayser, during a Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting in October 2016. (Photo by Gallo Images / Netwerk24 / Lulama Zenzile)
Former ANC councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay Andile Lungisa has spent his first night behind bars after he reported to the clerk of the court at Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Thursday to start serving his two-year prison sentence.
Lungisa has been found guilty of assaulting DA councillor Rano Kayser with a glass jug during a heated council meeting in 2016.
Lungisa has filed an application with the Constitutional Court for leave to appeal the sentence.
On Wednesday, NPA Eastern Cape regional spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani confirmed that the NPA has received copies of Lungisa’s application to the Constitutional Court as well as a notice of motion to apply for bail pending the outcome of this application.
Lungisa‘s legal argument before the Constitutional Court will be that he hit Kayser with a glass jug in self-defence, while under attack by five men.
Meanwhile, #FreeAndileLungisa was trending on Friday after the former councillor spent his first night behind bars.
ANC military veteran Carl Niehaus shared a tweet using #FreeAndileLungisa in which he said he would continue to “stand by my comrade as a victim of political factionalism”.
So some people are calling me names for standing by comrade #AndileLungisa (@mrlungisa). I don’t care, they can say whatever they want. Enough is enough. I will stand by my comrade as a victim of political factionalism. ✊????#FreeAndileLungisa pic.twitter.com/gftunA0bWt
— Carl Niehaus (@niehaus_carl) September 18, 2020
Other Twitter users, however, did not tweet positively using #FreeAndileLungisa. Here are some of the tweets:
Im not gonna entertain this #FreeAndileLungisa shit.There’s my brother Who’s been in Boksburg prison since Level5 because he forgot his mask at home going to the mall????
— AMBONGILE (@ambo04) September 18, 2020
If #FreeAndileLungisa materialize, then all offenders serving for an assault conviction must obtain pardon. A crime was committed and justice was served , the sooner we stop politicizing criminal acts the better. pic.twitter.com/pjzT0Vp9IL
— ???????????????????????????????????????????????? (@Matloga_) September 18, 2020
The ANC is so good at playing victim you would think that Andile is being sent to prison for singing out loud at a church. He’s not above the law. #FreeAndileLungisa pic.twitter.com/u6zZ9CHLUB
— Xolani Njabulo???????? (@XolaniNjabulo7) September 18, 2020
(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)
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