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”.
Other Twitter users, however, did not tweet positively using #FreeAndileLungisa. Here are some of the tweets:
(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
