Thulebona Mbhele (24) was found guilty on all charges and sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg High Court to life imprisonment for the murder of Valmai Collins (84) in Leisure Bay in 2021.

He was sentenced to a further 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, two years for theft and a further two years for housebreaking with intent to steal.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

The investigating officer was Warrant Officer Jabulani Nzimakwe of Port Edward Detective Service.

On the day of the incident, Mrs Collins had gotten up to make tea for her husband, Dave (93) at about 07:00.

When she took longer than unusual to come back with the tea, he went to look for her. He found his wife lying in the courtyard, unconscious, with a pool of blood next to her head.

Mr Collins phoned his close friends Rod and Jeanne-Louise Kinsey, who arrived minutes later to help.

They called an ambulance and Mrs Collins was taken to Port Shepstone Regional Hospital.

It was only then that they realised there had been foul play involved after they discovered the couple’s car, TV and various other items were missing from their home.

It is believed that Mrs Collins went to take the rubbish out, and that she was viciously hit over the head by an intruder.

The Collins were married for 65 years, and lived on the coast for over 30 years.

They had previously lived in Gauteng.

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