Nigeria, April 16 -- South Africa's opposition figure, Julius Malema, has been sentenced to five years in prison for the unlawful discharge of a firearm at a rally in 2018.

The East London Regional Magistrate Court issued its sentence on Thursday, six months after he was convicted on five ​charges, including unlawful possession of ammunition, reckless endangerment, and discharge of a firearm in a public space.

Reading out his sentence, the magistrate, Twanet Olivier, said the court considered several factors in its verdict, taking into account the evidence presented by the defence.

However, she declared, the argument of the defence that Mr Malema's actions were simply celebratory was "nonsensical" because he knew what he was doin...