Life imprisonment for Facebook rapist from Polokwane
Robert Baloyi (21) was also sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances and two years on a count of theft.
POLOKWANE – The Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Ivy Thenga has welcomed the sentencing of 21-year-old Robert Baloyi to life and 32 years imprisonment for the rape of four girls, including minors, aged 15 and 17-years old.
Baloyi, known as Caption CJ from Extension 71A, placed an advert on Facebook pretending to be a tattoo artist before raping his victims.
Read more: Polokwane man who lured rape victims on Facebook found guilty
Thenga said she hopes the sentence will serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders of Gender-Based Violence and warned social media users to be vigilant when communicating with strangers.
Baloyi was sentenced to life and 32 years imprisonment and further ordered the sentence to run concurrently with life imprisonment. His name will also be entered into the register for sexual offenders and was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The Limpopo High Court: Polokwane Division heard how Baloyi repeatedly raped a 17-year-old victim and was also sentenced to 10 years on each count of rape of two young women, 10 years on a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances and two years on a count of theft.
NPA Regional Spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the complainant contacted Baloyi and agreed to meet him at his home.
“Upon arrival at his residential place, the accused pretended to initiate the crafting of a tattoo. During the process, he threatened the victims with steel and a panga and forcefully undressed them before raping them. The accused would then take pictures and video footage of the victim while naked and threaten to post them on social media if they reported it to the police,” she said.
Malabi-Dzhangi said Baloyi also told another complainant that he would invite Zimbabwean men into his yard to join him in raping her and that she would be buried.
“He also threatened to traffic the victims and robbed them of their cellphones and money amounting to R40. He then escorted the victims out of his residence and left them at a local tuckshop. The state established that the accused used the same modus operandi,” she said.
Malabi-Dzhangi said one of the victims was raped more than three times by Baloyi, while another was raped on her birthday.
“All four victims attended counselling at the Seshego Thuthuzela Care Centre,” she said.
Adv. George Sekhukhune submitted that Baloyi committed these crimes whilst out on bail for the rape of a young woman but continued to rape other victims.
During sentencing, Judge Marissa Naude-Odendaal said, “the courts are duty-bound to send a clear message to other potential rapists and are determined to protect the equality, dignity and freedom of all women and children. Therefore, the courts shall show no mercy to those who invade these rights”.
