An Inchanga man was jailed for life plus 23 years on Tuesday on five charges, including the hijacking and murder of former Camperdown court interpreter Moonlight Gordon.
The additional prison sentences were ordered to run concurrently with the life sentence.
Gordon was gunned down by Bhekizizwe Chamane and robbed of his Toyota Tazz and his cellphone near the KwaMfene bus stop in Inchanga on June 20 last year.
On Tuesday, Acting Judge Themba Sishi said in the Pietermaritzburg High Court he could find no compelling or substantial circumstances that would justify the imposition of less than the minimum sentences.
These included premeditated murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and escaping from custody.
The judge had been urged by Divesh Mootheram to consider Chamane's relative youth at the time of the incident, the fact that he had not acted alone and that admissions made on his behalf during the trial had curtailed the proceedings.
However, state advocate Deelan Naidoo submitted that the crimes were heinous and motivated by greed.
The judge found that there were aggravating features in the case. One of these was that Gordon had already been robbed of his car and was running away when two shots were fired, killing him.
"He was unarmed and defenceless at the time of the shooting," said the judge. "The original plan of the perpetrators was to get the motor vehicle and some money. (Chamane) has not shown any remorse."
In addition, Chamane had been sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment (in August 2005) for housebreaking and theft, and had been released under correctional supervision. He had also been declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The judge refused an application for leave to appeal against Chamane's conviction and sentence, saying there was no reasonable prospect that another court would come to a different decision.