EFF leader Julius Malema's lawyer Tumi Mokwena has been acquitted on four counts of attempted murder by the Polokwane High Court, Sowetan reported on Wednesday.

According to that publication, Judge Ephraim Makgoba said on Tuesday that Mokwena had acted in self-defence and had no intention to kill anyone.

The judge reportedly found the evidence by four state witnesses to be "dishonest, unreliable and disingenuous".

In June 2017, Mokwena was arrested after four farmworkers were shot and wounded at Zebediela Citrus farm in Limpopo, News24 reported at the time.

Mokwena pleaded not guilty as he claimed he had acted in self-defence.

According to an affidavit he submitted to the court during his bail application, Mokwena was cornered and confronted by workers when he allegedly opened fire against the group.

At least four workers, including a security guard, were shot and wounded.

According to Times Live, Mokwena said he shot one of the workers because he would have "wasted his time trying to escape the violent scene".

Mokwena reportedly added that he had no time to be fighting over a gun with Maile Mamokhere, whom he shot in the hand.

"There was no time, I had to shoot and run. I couldn't stay in the office because I had no ammunition size of an army to shoot at more than hundreds people. He [Mamokhere] was very close to me and kept on approaching me while holding a rock in his hand. He kept on saying he is not afraid of the gun," Mokwena reportedly said.

Prosecutor Johann Kotzee reportedly said that two witnesses - a security guard supervisor Magezi Mboweni and farm general manager Jakobus Swanepoel - had said before the court that Mokwena’s life was not in danger and nobody carried dangerous weapons."

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