Nhlanhla Gasa. Photo: SABC

At Durban Magistrate Court on Tuesday, Mbulelo Ntlauzana confessed to the murder of Durban businessman Nhlanhla Gasa. He was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment, 20 for murder and 10 for theft.

It has been a month since the 25 year-old accused was arrested by police. Not contesting three charges, one of murder, theft and destruction of property. He detailed to the court how he stabbed the victim after Gasa made sexual advances on Mbulelo in his Umhlanga Rocks residence.

He then proceeded to steal the victim’s Jaguar and R300 before dumping his body in a river and getting rid of the murder weapon in a marsh. The accused then doused the vehicle in petrol and lit it on fire.

Mbulelo said that he had a mentor-mentee relationship with Gasa since 2010 after serving him at a Steers restaurant.

Mbulelo’s crying mother was moved to the back to make space for the glamorous family of the victim, which includes former Miss South Africa Mbali Gasa and TV-presenter Noni Gasa, who sat in the front row.

In testimony Mbulelo expressed a sincere apology for what he did and hoped that the Gasa family would find it in their hearts to forgive him.

During sentencing 36 year-old Andile Gasa, Nhlanhla’s eldest son, on behalf of the family expressed his thanks to the police for their expedience in solving the case and ridiculed the press for the manner in which they portrayed their father. He said he could not forgive the accused and that he wished to see justice fulfilled.

Mbulelo can appeal his sentence in two weeks.