STORY: "You are sentenced to a period of five years imprisonment."
South African opposition leader Julius Malema was sentenced on Thursday for firing a rifle in the air at a rally.
It's a judgment that could bar the prominent campaigner from parliament.
Malema was allowed to appeal against his sentence by magistrate Twanet Olivier in KuGompo City and released until the case is heard by the high court.
"She has granted us leave for appeal on sentencing and refused to give us leave to appeal on conviction. We must petition the high court to appeal the guilt verdict and the sentencing itself. Today, because all they wanted was to have me sleep here for one night."
Malema was convicted last year on five charges after firing the gun at a stadium in Eastern Cape province in 2018.
The court sentenced him to five years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and two years for unlawful possession of ammunition.
It gave him fines for the three other offenses.
Under the constitution, a prison sentence of 12 months or more, if confirmed after all appeals, would bar Malema from serving as a lawmaker.
That would be a major setback for his party, Economic Freedom Fighters, which has strong support among young South Africans.
Many of whom are frustrated by the racial inequality that has persisted since the end of white minority rule in 1994.
