Leigh Matthews’ family ‘surprised and shocked’ as her killer Donovan Moodley is recommended for parole. Image: EWN.
(The Post News)- The man convicted of the 2004 murder of Bond University student Leigh Matthews could be one step closer to walking free after the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board on Monday recommended his release.
Donovan Moodley, who has served 20 years of his life sentence, now awaits the final decision from the Minister of Correctional Services. But the parents of Leigh Matthews, Rob and Sharon, have voiced dismay at the parole board’s recommendation and are weighing their legal options.
Leigh Matthews Lawyer Reports Moodly’s Release is not Guaranteed
Tania Koen, the Matthews family’s lawyer, stressed that Moodley’s release is not guaranteed. “The minister of correctional services will have the final word, but we are deeply concerned about the process,” Koen said. Koen confirmed that she had presented a victim impact report on behalf of the Matthews family, who chose not to attend. “Rob and Sharon did not feel up to attending the hearing, as they are emotionally drained. This is the third time the board considered parole,” she said.
She added that the family is particularly troubled by Moodley’s refusal to grant them access to his latest profile, which includes expert opinions on his rehabilitation. “This is a concern to us. We applied to be given access to his profile because the victims need to know whether he has rehabilitated. But he denied us this right,” she said.
According to Koen, the latest profile covers only the past 18 months, since Moodley was moved to Leeuwkop Prison in Johannesburg, and excludes nearly two decades of prison records. “It is disturbing that the board based its recommendation on such a narrow timeframe,” she said. Leigh’s father, Rob Matthews, echoed these concerns. “They only had a profile for Mr. Moodley for a year and a half for the time he was at Leeuwkop prison,” he reported.
“They didn’t have his profile for a period of some 18 and a half years, where there is a whole history of misdemeanors, of threats and allegations.” Matthews claimed that over the years, Moodley threatened his family and even alleged that they had arranged “hits” on him in prison.
The Department of Correctional Services stressed on Monday that parole for offenders serving life sentences involves several distinct phases. A case is first assessed by the Case Management Committee, followed by the parole board. Recommendations then go to the National Council for Correctional Services before the minister makes the final decision. Moodley previously turned to the courts in 2023 after being denied parole, urging authorities to show him “ubuntu.”
While the parole board’s latest recommendation brings him closer to freedom, Leigh Matthews’s family insists that vital information has been overlooked. “The victims also have rights,” Koen said. “Just as Mr. Moodley has exercised his right to challenge previous findings, so too can Rob and Sharon Matthews challenge this decision.” At this stage, the Matthews family has not confirmed what legal steps they will take, but Koen said all options remain on the table.
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