Gardener jailed for murder of elderly Durban employer
A gardener
has been handed a life sentence for the murder of his elderly employer.
Seventy-nine-year-old Shirley James of Newlands West was bound and killed in her home in 2019.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Natasha Kara, Mzwakhe Mbulawa stole from James' home and returned the next day to take more belongings.
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The pensioner's body was discovered a few days later.
A post mortem revealed she'd been strangled and suffered a blunt force head injury.
Kara says Mbulawa's also been handed 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances by the Durban High Court.
"James lived alone in her home in Newlands West and Mbulawa worked for her on a casual basis as a gardener.
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"On the day of the incident, he stole various items from her home including cellphones, jewelry, commercial cards and household items.
"He was eventually arrested when police traced the sim card of James' phone. Almost all of the stolen items were found in his house."
