Parole for murderer Donovan Moodley leaves Matthews's family in disbelief

SHOCKED AND CONCERNED

- NADIA KHAN [e-mail]

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.