Leigh Mathews’ family anxious about Donovan Moodley ‘Diabolical’ killer’s parole bid

The family of Leigh Matthews is anxious about her self-confessed killer Donovan Moodley’s parole bid on Friday.

Her father, Rob Matthews, told The Citizen on Friday: “You live in fear that he’s going to get out and every time this comes up, you’re taken back to the early stages of the trial all over again.”

Leigh, 21, was kidnapped from outside Bond University in Morningside, Sandton, on 9 July, 2004, and a ransom for her safe return was demanded. Despite her parents paying over R50 000, she was killed. A municipal worker discovered her naked body dumped in the veld.

Moodley pleaded guilty to charges of murder, kidnapping and extortion and was given life in prison. Judge Joop Labuschagne, who presided over the case in the High Court in Johannesburg, found he must have had accomplices.

Moodley has refused to assist authorities with apprehending his co-conspirators. He has also made repeated, albeit unsuccessful, attempts at appealing his case. Moodley was expected to apply for parole last year, but this did not happen.

ALSO READ: Leigh Matthews: Parole-seeking murderer is a ‘monster’

The department of correctional services yesterday confirmed the correctional supervision and parole board would be take oral representations from him on Friday. Matthews said he had known this was “always going to happen.
It was just a matter of time”.

He described the process as a “nightmare” to navigate.

“We want to make sure our side is represented and that a criminal isn’t set free,” he said. Matthews said there were still too many unanswered questions.

“From what we’ve seen, there don’t appear to be any signs of remorse on his part and we still believe he’s a threat to society,” he said. innovative

Women and Men Against Child Abuse in a statement this week urged the parole board to “very seriously consider the heinousness of the crimes” committed by Moodley. successful

“He is a diabolical, callous, calculated and cold-blooded murderer who, 17 years later, has shown no remorse or rehabilitation,” the statement read.

– bernadettew@citizen.co.za