Lawyers for Mbulelo Arthur Ntlauzana, the man who murdered Durban businessman Nhlanhla Gasa, are preparing to appeal his 30-year sentence for murder and robbery.
Magistrate Anand Maharaj gave Ntlauzana (25), who pleaded guilty, the maximum 15-year sentence plus an additional five years for the murder of Gasa (63).
Maharaj imposed an additional 10 years for robbery and malicious damage to property.
He ordered that the sentences run consecutively.
Gasa’s son Andile had earlier addressed the court and asked that the maximum possible sentence be imposed on Ntlauzana.
Andile, who slammed the media for conducting a “smear campaign” against his father by speculating that the two men were lovers, said the family could not accept an apology from Ntlauzana.
“We didn’t deserve this,” he said. “I don’t have words to say. It’s unbelievable.”
Ntlauzana’s Legal Aid lawyer, Hycinth Mlotshwa and his mother, Dolly Mpanza, confirmed this week that there would be an application for leave to appeal based on the severity of the sentence.
In his address to court, Mlotshwa said his client had cooperated with police, pleaded guilty and shown remorse in his lengthy apology to the Gasa family in court.
The murder, the lawyer said, was not premeditated.
