Try GOLD - Free
Parole for murderer Donovan Moodley leaves Matthews's family in disbelief
Post
|September 17, 2025
SHOCKED AND CONCERNED
TWO decades after the brutal murder of 21-year-old university student Leigh Matthews, her family faces fresh trauma as her killer, Donovan Moodley, has been recommended for parole.
Yesterday (Tuesday) her father Rob Matthews expressed shock at the decision, describing how each legal proceeding forced them to relive their pain and prevented healing.
This recommendation comes two decades after Donovan Moodley was convicted and sentenced for kidnapping and killing Leigh.
Following a hearing on Monday, the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board recommended that Moodley be granted parole.
On July 9, 2004, Leigh was kidnapped from the parking lot at Bond University in Johannesburg.
Despite her father paying a RSO 000 ransom, Moodley still shot and Killed her.
Her body was found dumped in an open field in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg.
After pleading guilty in the Johannesburg High Court in 2005, Moodley was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, 15 years for kidnapping and 10 years for extortion.
He served 15 years of his sentence when he became eligible for parole in 2018. His previous bids to be granted parole were unsuccessful.
The news that Moodley had been recommended for parole was delivered by Tania Koen, the attorney representing Leigh’s parents, Rob and Sharon Matthews.
Despite the board’s recommendation, Koen emphasised that the Matthews family was still weighing their options in response to this distressing development.
This story is from the September 17, 2025 edition of Post.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Post
Post
The journey of the first indentured ship, the Truro
THIS Sunday, October 12, marks the 165th anniversary of the SS Truro's departure from the port city of Madras (now Chennai) in India, carrying 342 indentured workers on board the first ship that arrived in South Africa on November 16, 1860.
5 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
DIVINE TIMING How a sinus infection led to life-saving cancer diagnosis
WHAT began as a stubborn sinus infection turned into a life-changing diagnosis for 65-year-old Shirley Reddy of Hillary.
2 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
Five times South Africans lit up Pakistan
SOUTH Africa does not have the best of records in Pakistan since their first Test tour almost three decades ago.
2 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
Visual echoes from 165 years
FINE ARTISTS OF INDIAN ANCESTRY
5 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
'Not in vain' is not enough: honouring Babita Deokaran with more than justice
IT IS TOO easy - too convenient - to say that Babita Deokaran's death was \"not in vain\".
2 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
FOCUS ON POSITIVES ‘You can beat cancer’: mom shares her journey of strength and survival
FOR Anjuna Krishuncoomar, a 52-year-old widow and mother of two, life changed forever after a routine mammogram in July 2024 led to a diagnosis she never expected: stage 1 breast cancer.
2 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
Husband convicted of brutal screwdriver murder
Wife's family call for maximum sentence for years of abuse she suffered
4 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
Manesh Maharaj: preserving the legacy of Kathak in SA
EXQUISITE ART FORM
4 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
Mudray leads SA juniors to top-five finish
TEENAGE angler Jeariya Mudray, from the Bluff, helped lead the Proteas Surf Casting Junior Team to an impressive fifth-place finish at the recent World Shore Angling Championship for Youth (U-16) in Peniscola, Spain, against 40 top young anglers from Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, Ireland and England.
2 mins
October 08, 2025
Post
Shika Budhoo's 'Roti Queen' shines a light on the experiences of SA Indian women
AT THE vibrant crossroads of theatre, literature and education stands Shika Budhoo, a 41-year-old multidisciplinary creative artist whose work reflects the rich tapestry of South African culture.
3 mins
October 08, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size