"Not Guilty": EFF Leaders Julius Malema and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi Beat Common Assault Charge

• EFF leaders Julius Malema and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi have been absolved of any wrongdoing regarding the assault of a police officer
• The Red Berets leaders were accused of assaulting a cop at the late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's funeral service
• South Africans say the EFF can longer argue that the judiciary is captured because they just won this case

JOHANNESBURG - Economic Freedom Fighters leaders Julius Malema and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi managed to be a common assault charge against a police officer.

The pair were accused of assaulting police officer Johannes Venter at the late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's funeral service in Fourways, Johannesburg. The judgement was handed down on Thursday, 29 September, at the Randburg Magistrate's Court, reports SABC News.

The magistrate stated that the state could not prove its case against Malema and Mbuyiseni even though, at first glance, their actions could be viewed as unlawful. It was also stated the pair had no intention of assaulting Venter, who tried to block them from entering the funeral service.

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The magistrate also stated that he had to evaluate the accused's state of mind at the time of the assault and found that they could not be held culpable for what happened that day.

A clip of the court proceedings was posted online on the EFF's official Twitter page:

South Africans weigh in

@Melatolp said:

"This means the judiciary is not captured. Please advise those who want to win cases not to use Dali Mpofu."

@VusumuziWaZweli said:

"See. The courts are fair. Never accuse them of "being captured" when you lose a case next time‍♂️."

@zsa_standstrong said:

"So does this mean we can all assault a cop now? Even if we are on video?"

Malema claims' white supremacy' at the heart of his assault case

Briefly News previously reported that EFF leader Julius Malema claimed that the assault case lodged against him and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi stems from white supremacy.

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He and Ndlozi had tried to have the case closed but had not been successful. Malema took the stand in the Randburg Magistrate's Court.

Malema and Ndlozi are being charged with assault after an altercation took place at the Fourways cemetery following the late Winner Madikizela-Mandela's funeral service. The two allegedly confronted Lieutenant-Colonel Johannes Venter.

Source: Briefly News