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Why South African Opposition Leader Malema Was Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

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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.

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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.

Crime

Oyo Police Arrest Suspected Serial Burglar, Recover Stolen Items Worth ₦16.2m

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The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspected serial burglar, Nasiru Abiodun, over multiple burglary incidents in the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa area of Ibadan, recovering stolen property estimated at ₦16.22 million.

The Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, 2026, by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka.

According to the statement, the suspect was arrested on October 31, 2026, at about 9:45 a.m. following a report from concerned residents of Oyewole Zone 2, Ile-Igbon, in the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa area.

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Operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Maku Base, reportedly apprehended Abiodun at a residential apartment with a sack containing house cables and other valuable items estimated at ₦3 million.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to burgling four different residential apartments within the area, carting away house cables, mobile phones, motorcycle batteries and other household valuables.

The police put the total estimated value of items stolen from the four apartments at ₦16.22 million, adding that some of the stolen property had already been recovered from the suspect.

Following his confession, operatives visited the identified crime scenes to establish relevant facts and advance the investigation.

The Command said efforts had been intensified to recover the remaining stolen items and apprehend other individuals suspected of receiving the stolen property.

It also appealed to residents of Ejiooku/Iyana Offa, Ile-Igbon and adjoining communities who may have experienced burglaries recently to report such incidents to the nearest police station or the Maku Base of the VCRU.

The appeal, according to the police, is aimed at identifying other possible victims and facilitating the recovery of additional stolen property.

The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, reiterated the Command’s commitment to tackling criminal activities through proactive policing, intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with members of the public.

He also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly provide credible information that could assist the police in preventing and detecting crime.

The police provided the Oyo State Call Response Centre toll-free number, 615, and the Command’s control room numbers, 08081768614 and 07055495413, for emergency reports.

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Crime

Navy Uncovers 132,000 Litres of Stolen Crude Oil in Bonny

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The Nigerian Navy has uncovered 132,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Allison community, Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State.

This was detailed in a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, in which he disclosed that the Forward Operating Base Bonny discovered the stolen crude oil under Operation Delta Sentinel, following actionable intelligence.

He said the operation uncovered 10 dugout pits, adding that the site and the recovered products were handled in accordance with extant regulations.

“The operation reinforces the importance of intelligence-led action in identifying concealed petroleum stockpiles and disrupting the infrastructure that enables crude oil theft and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products.

“The Nigerian Navy will sustain efforts to locate and dismantle illegal refining infrastructure and disrupt the networks facilitating crude oil theft across the Niger Delta,” the statement said.

READ ALSO: FCT Motorists, Commuters Divided over NNPC Petrol Discount

The Navy urged community leaders, residents, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to promptly report crude oil theft, illegal refining, suspicious petroleum storage and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products to the nearest security agency.

Timely, credible information, the statement said, could enable swift intervention and prevent illicit activities from expanding.

“Safeguarding the nation’s critical petroleum assets requires vigilance and active cooperation between security agencies and the communities they serve. The Navy therefore urges the public to remain alert and support lawful efforts to protect national resources,” Folorunsho concluded.

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Crime

Delta Police Arrest School Bus Driver Over Alleged Kidnap, Rape of 14-Year-Old Student

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The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Lucky Ughagha, over the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student in Sapele, after reportedly collecting ₦503,000 in ransom from the victim’s father.

The suspect was arrested on October 23, 2026, following investigations into the incident, which was reported to the Sapele Area Command on October 20 by the victim’s father.

The statement was signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, and dated October 25, 2026.

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According to the police, the father alleged that the suspect abducted his daughter while she was preparing to leave for school. The suspect reportedly contacted him afterward, demanded ₦503,000 and threatened to kill the minor if the ransom was not paid.

After the payment was made, the victim was allegedly abandoned along Oton Road in Sapele, where she was reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications of sexual assault.

Following the report, operatives of the Sapele Area Command commenced investigations, while the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment.

The police also invited the school’s principal and vice principal for questioning as investigations continued.

The suspect reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled after the incident. However, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives traced him to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23.

During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime, according to the police.

The command said arrangements were underway to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Samuel E. Erale, condemned the alleged crime and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation.

The commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to “protecting children from all forms of violence and exploitation.”

He also assured the public that “investigations will be thorough and that anyone found culpable will be brought to justice.”

Erale further called on school authorities, parents and transport operators to exercise greater vigilance in safeguarding children, stressing that “the safety of every child entrusted to their care must remain paramount.”

 

 

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