A South African court has sentenced opposition leader Julius Malema to five years in prison following his conviction for illegal possession and public discharge of a firearm.

Malema, who leads the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was found guilty on multiple counts linked to a 2018 incident during the party’s fifth anniversary celebration in the Eastern Cape.

At the event, he was captured in a widely circulated video firing a semi-automatic rifle into the air.

ALSO READ: Court Orders Arrest of Ex-Minister Sadiya Farouq, Perm Sec Over Alleged $1.3m, N746m Fraud

According to court proceedings, Malema argued that the act was merely celebratory.

However, the court rejected his defence, ruling that the action was not spontaneous but deliberate.

The presiding magistrate described the incident as premeditated and emphasized that Malema’s position as a prominent political figure placed a higher burden of responsibility on him.

The charges against him included unlawful possession of a firearm, discharging a weapon in public, and reckless endangerment.

The court held that such actions posed a serious threat to public safety and could not be excused under any circumstances.

Despite the five-year sentence, Malema was granted leave to appeal, meaning he will not be taken into custody immediately.

He walked free from the courtroom and was greeted by hundreds of supporters who had gathered outside.

Addressing the crowd, Malema alleged that the ruling was politically motivated, claiming that certain forces were attempting to silence him.

His supporters responded with chants and songs, showing continued loyalty to the outspoken politician.

Malema, a former youth leader of the African National Congress (ANC), was expelled after a fallout with former President Jacob Zuma.

He later founded the EFF, which has since grown into one of South Africa’s most influential opposition parties.

Reacting to the development, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula suggested that the case reflected broader political tensions.

However, lobby group AfriForum, which initiated the case after the video surfaced, insisted the prosecution was based strictly on enforcing the law.

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has issued a warrant of arrest against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and a Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, over their alleged involvement in a multi-million naira fraud case.

The arrest order was issued on Thursday, April 16, 2026, by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court after the two defendants failed to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment.

SEE ALSO: Diezani Claims She Was NNPC&’s Rubber Stamp Before London Court

The duo, alongside a third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, are facing a 21-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The charges border on alleged criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent contract awards, and the diversion of public funds totaling $1.3 million and N746,574,303.
At Thursday’s proceedings, only Mohammed was present in court.

According to the EFCC, the alleged offences occurred between May 2021 and September 2022 in Abuja.

The anti-graft agency accused Farouq and Alkali of misappropriating funds meant to be refunded to the ministry by a private firm, Visual ICT Limited.

The money was reportedly linked to excess payments under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) for the validation of Rapid Response Register beneficiaries.

The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that although the charges were filed on December 15, 2025, the two defendants could not initially be served.

He added that despite assurances from their legal representatives, they failed to present themselves in court.

Jacobs further revealed that Farouq had earlier requested the release of her passport for a medical trip to Saudi Arabia in 2024 but has yet to return it or provide any medical report to justify her absence.

“My lord, since that passport was released to her, she has not returned it to the Commission, and no medical report has been submitted,” Jacobs stated, questioning the validity of the health claims presented by her counsel.

Counsel to the first defendant, Abdul Ibrahim, attributed his client’s absence to ill health and attempted to tender an affidavit to that effect, but the court rejected the application.

The EFCC also sought to amend an earlier ex-parte motion to focus on the first and second defendants and requested a bench warrant to compel their appearance.

The prosecution supported its request with an affidavit stating that both defendants had been granted administrative bail but failed to report back.

In response, the defence counsel pleaded with the court to grant a six-week extension to produce Farouq in court.

However, in his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the EFCC’s application and issued a warrant for the arrest of the two defendants.

The case was subsequently adjourned to May 18, 2026, for arraignment and commencement of trial.

Pandemonium broke out at a private hospital in Ikotun, Lagos, after a woman accused medical staff of withholding one of her twins following childbirth.

The incident, which has since gone viral on social media, captured the emotional moment the woman—identified as 28-year-old Blessing Isioma David—stormed the hospital premises while clutching a newborn and demanding answers over the whereabouts of her second baby.

ALSO READ: Lagos Hosts Oil Refiners’ Confab

In the video, the distraught mother is heard shouting, “Where is my baby? I did not come here to lose my child,” drawing attention from other patients and passersby.

Those who accompanied her also joined in the confrontation, calling on authorities to arrest the hospital staff over suspected foul play.

According to reports, the woman had earlier undergone an obstetric scan in March 2026, which indicated a twin pregnancy.

The scan reportedly showed two foetuses with normal heart activity, further fueling her insistence that she delivered two babies.

However, the hospital, identified as Tip-Top Solution Hospital, has denied the allegation.

The Medical Director, Dr. Sunday Babajide, maintained that only one baby was delivered, attributing the confusion to an error in the initial scan.

He explained that the patient’s husband was present during the delivery and witnessed the birth of only one child, adding that the mother was conscious throughout the procedure.

Babajide noted that scans done at certain stages of pregnancy could sometimes produce inaccurate results, especially if not confirmed with follow-up examinations.

“The mistake was that we didn’t insist on another scan to verify the result,” he admitted, while dismissing claims of baby trafficking or misconduct.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos has confirmed that it has commenced an investigation into the matter.

Police spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the Command is working with relevant medical authorities to determine the truth behind the conflicting claims.

She added that the Area Commander in charge of the district is personally overseeing the case, assuring the public that findings will be made known once investigations are concluded.

Residents have been urged to remain calm as authorities work to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, which has continued to generate heated reactions online.