Cape Town - Xolile Mngeni has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of British honeymoon tourist Anni Dewani.
Judgment was handed down in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday.
Last week Mngeni, 25, was found guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances, premeditated murder and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
He was acquitted on a kidnapping charge, as this formed part of a single chain of events leading up to the murder.
Mngeni took the stand in his own defence, but failed to convince the court of his innocence.
The Khayelitsha resident was found fit to stand trial despite having a malignant brain tumour.
Judge Robert Henney said Mngeni had not taken the court into his confidence. He had offered only bare denials and a late revelation of alibi witnesses.
Dewani was shot dead in Gugulethu on November 13, 2010, in an allegedly faked hijacking. She was on honeymoon with her husband Shrien at the time. Her body was found the next day in a curled up position on the back seat of the hijacked vehicle, with a single gunshot wound to the neck.
Mngeni was fingered as the triggerman. Under a plea agreement, his accomplices, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 25, and Zola Tongo were earlier sentenced to 25 years and 18 years respectively.
The alleged murder mastermind, Anni's husband, Shrien Dewani, is still fighting extradition to South Africa. - IOL, Sapa