{"id":45376,"date":"2025-12-19T19:58:50","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T19:58:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/?p=45376"},"modified":"2025-12-19T19:58:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T19:58:50","slug":"donovan-moodley-parole-bid-leigh-matthews-murder-latest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/2025\/12\/19\/donovan-moodley-parole-bid-leigh-matthews-murder-latest\/","title":{"rendered":"Leigh Matthews family on Donovan Moodley&#8217;s failed parole"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The family of Leigh Matthews are overjoyed after her killer, Donovan Moodley, \u2019s parole bid was denied yet again.<\/p>\n<p>They are also calling on Correctional Services to be more mindful of the families of victims and the profiles of offenders.<\/p>\n<p>Matthews \u2013 a Bond University student \u2013 was kidnapped and murdered more than 20 years ago.<\/p>\n<p>In 2005, Moodley was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for kidnapping, and 10 years for extortion. His sentence ran concurrently.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-leigh-matthews-family-reacts-to-donovan-moodley-s-failed-parole-bid\">LEIGH MATTHEWS FAMILY REACTS TO DONOVAN MOODLEY\u2019S FAILED PAROLE BID<\/h2>\n<p>On Friday, 19 December, Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald sided with the National Council for Correctional Services (NCCS)\u2019s recommendation that Donovan Moodley not be granted parole.<\/p>\n<p>This marks his third rejected parole bid.<\/p>\n<p>Moodley will remain in prison, where he will be eligible for another parole consideration in two years. He is required to complete mandatory correctional programmes,\u00a0 including psychotherapy, and independent assessments.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t        <iframe title=\"bj_embed\" class=\"dx-embed\" id=\"dxIframe-0\" style=\"width: 100%\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In September, the\u00a0 Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) recommended Donovan Moodley\u2019s release, which sparked widespread backlash, particularly from the family of Leigh Matthews.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to<strong><em> The South African<\/em><\/strong>, Leigh Matthews\u2019 family attorney Tania Koen said: \u201cWe are elated at the Minister of Correctional Service\u2019s decision, as recommended by the\u00a0 National Council for Correctional Services.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt did come as a surprise, we didnt expect it so soon. We firmly believe that in all matters, there should be proper consideration of the profile of the offender.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Koen previously told<strong><em> The South African<\/em><\/strong> that Donovan Moodley was not only unremorseful over his actions, but was a \u201cdanger to society\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>She said, \u201cHe is not showing signs of rehabilitation. Moodley\u2019s version does not tie up with forensic evidence\u2026He still continues to dispute it. He still continues to lie under oath.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Koen said that Moodley had verbally attacked and threatened the family.<\/p>\n<p>She added that they had not been given access to his psychologist\u2019s report and profile.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-happened-to-bubbly-blonde-student\">WHAT HAPPENED TO BUBBLY BLONDE STUDENT?<\/h3>\n<p>In 2004, the naked body of Leigh Matthews was found after being kidnapped and murdered. The Bond University student was just 21 years old.<\/p>\n<p>Donovan Moodley pleaded guilty after confessing to shooting and killing Matthews. In 2005, Donovan was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for kidnapping, and 10 years for extortion.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, shortly after his sentencing, Moodley did a shock turnaround, now claiming that he did not kill Leigh Matthews. He also claimed he was \u201cframed\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Moodley appealed the court\u2019s ruling multiple times. The Gauteng High Court has denied his requests, as have the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"453\" alt=\"donovan moodley leigh matthews parole\" class=\"wp-image-2388678\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" data-loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Leigh-Matthews-family-on-Donovan-Moodleys-failed-parole.jpg?resize=640%2C453&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Leigh-Matthews-family-on-Donovan-Moodleys-failed-parole.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.thesouthafrican.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Donovan-Moodley-could-be-granted-parole-after-he-murdered-Leigh-Matthews-in-2004-768x544.jpg.optimal.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thesouthafrican.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Donovan-Moodley-could-be-granted-parole-after-he-murdered-Leigh-Matthews-in-2004-750x531.jpg.optimal.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.thesouthafrican.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Donovan-Moodley-could-be-granted-parole-after-he-murdered-Leigh-Matthews-in-2004-960x680.jpg.optimal.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thesouthafrican.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Donovan-Moodley-could-be-granted-parole-after-he-murdered-Leigh-Matthews-in-2004-640x453.jpg.optimal.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thesouthafrican.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Donovan-Moodley-could-be-granted-parole-after-he-murdered-Leigh-Matthews-in-2004-255x181.jpg.optimal.jpg 255w\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Donovan Moodley, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of student Leigh Matthews, has once again been denied parole. Images via X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>His request for a retrial \u2013 based on claims he was \u201cframed\u201d \u2013 was also denied.<\/p>\n<p>Moodley \u2013 who has completed his LLB in prison \u2013 became eligible for parole in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>His parole bid has been rejected at least three times: in 2022, 2023, and 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n#Leigh #Matthews #family #Donovan #Moodleys #failed #parole<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The family of Leigh Matthews are overjoyed after her killer, Donovan Moodley, \u2019s parole bid was denied yet again. They&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mzansi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45376","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45376"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45376\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45378,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45376\/revisions\/45378"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45376"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45376"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}