Malema’s firearm discharge case postponed to next year due to unavailability of his lawyer

The East London Regional Court has postponed to January next year the trial against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and his bodyguard Adriaan Snyman.

Malema gun case

The two men are standing trial for Malema allegedly firing a firearm belonging to Snyman at an EFF rally at a stadium in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape.

The incident allegedly happened in 2018, during the EFF’s 5th birthday anniversary celebrations and was captured on camera.

Malema and Snyman are facing charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, discharge of a firearm in a built-up area and failure to take reasonable precaution to person or property and reckless endangerment to person or property.

Trial delays

The trial, which has faced several delays since it started in March this year, was scheduled for the whole of this week. But Malema’s lawyer, advocate Laurence Hodes, failed to pitch up in court.

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Hodes indicated to the court that he was committed to another matter in Pretoria related to the Life Esidimeni inquest.

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Malema and Snyman requested the postponement in their absence, which was not opposed by the state.

“As standard procedure, a warrant of arrest against the accused was issued but stayed until their next court appearance,” Tyali said in a statement.

The trial was postponed to 30 January and 1 February 2023.

Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum community safety spokesperson, said it was frustrating that the trial was postponed after it had been ongoing for four years.

“This is a very serious charge. If it was an ordinary person firing what looked like an R15 rifle in front of a crowd of people, we would have already finished serving our jail time.

“But unfortunately, it seems like Mr Malema is a very influential person, he seems to be getting away with explaining this case,” Broodryk told eNCA.

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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