Convicted killer Donovan Moodley wins new parole hearing

Donovan Moodley. Picture: Adrian de Kock

Donovan Moodley. Picture: Adrian de Kock

Published Dec 16, 2022

Share

Durban – A new parole hearing for convicted killer Donovan Moodley is expected to take place before the end of March.

Moodley was convicted of kidnapping and killing university student Leigh Matthews in 2004.

She was kidnapped from the Bond University parking lot on July 9, 2004 and despite her father paying Moodley a R50 000 ransom, which he demanded, he still shot and killed Matthews.

Matthews’ body was found dumped in an open field in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg.

In 2005, Judge Joop Labuschagne sentenced Moodley to life imprisonment for the murder, 15 years for kidnapping and 10 years for extortion.

Moodley served 15 years of his sentence when he became eligible for parole in 2018.

In January this year the parole board said releasing Moodley on parole would be an insult to justice and decided he should remain in jail, “The Star” reported.

Rob Matthews told “The Star” that his daughter’s killer was a dangerous individual who had shown no tangible remorse.

Moodley did not take the matter lying down and appealed the parole’s board decision.

He accused the board of failing to fairly and objectively consider his eligibility for parole, News24 reported.

This week, the Gauteng High Court ruled in Moodley’s favour.

It set aside the decision by the Johannesburg parole board, News24 reported.

The judge, according to News24, ordered that the new parole hearing take place before the end of March 2023 and that Moodley be given two weeks’ notice to prepare.

IOL