Levy Baloyi, who had attacked and shot the Erasmus couple of Levubu three years ago and then claimed that Mr Callie Erasmus had asked him to shoot his wife, Petro, was sentenced to 37 years´ imprisonment.

The 33-year-old Baloyi’s trial and cross examination commenced in January this year, during which he claimed that Mr Erasmus had offered him R10 000 to kill his wife.

Baloyi was arrested at the Erasmus house in November 2007 after he had tried to rob Mr Erasmus and a struggle had ensued between the two men. During the struggle, Baloyi shot Erasmus twice. Baloyi was also wounded after Ms Erasmus had rushed over to help her husband and fired a shot, wounding him in his hand.

Apart from the charge of attempted murder on Erasmus, Baloyi stood trial on 10 other charges. He faced a further eight counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one charge of the unlawful possession of a firearm and one charge of the unlawful possession of ammunition.

All the cases were committed around the Waterval and Levubu area, after Baloyi was released on parole for serving a two-year sentence for housebreaking in 2004.

In March 2006, Baloyi robbed Mr Jacobus Malan, assaulting him with an axe handle. It was during this robbery that he also stole a gun from Mr Malan. The following three months he robbed seven more people, stealing anything valuable, from vehicles to electrical appliances.

During his judgment, Magistrate P V Mudau said that Baloyi had shown no remorse and that it had taken the State 19 witnesses and 85 pieces of evidence to prove his guilt. He added that all Baloyi´s victims would carry his crimes with them for the rest of their lives and that his previous prison sentences had not rehabilitated him.

“The nature of his crime, as well as the brazenness, callousness and brutality of his conduct, shows that he attaches no value to other people’s lives or their dignity,” Mudau said. He then read out Baloyi’s sentence.

Baloyi received a sentence of 105 years imprisonment on seven counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances. He was given a further 10 years on one count of the unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of attempted murder on Mr Erasmus. Some of the sentences he will serve concurrently. He was acquitted on two charges, one for robbery with aggravating circumstances and one for the unlawful possession of ammunition.