Moodley 'can expect long term'

2005-08-03 14:51

Johannesburg - Donovan Moodley's family have not confirmed that they will take part in a news conference after he is sentenced on Thursday for the murder of student Leigh Matthews.

Moodley's defence lawyer Jonathan Minnie said on Wednesday the family would not commit to joining the prosecution and the Matthews family in talking to journalists.

Advocate Charin de Beer, director of public prosecutions, said the news conference would take place straight after the sentencing at the Johannesburg High Court.

"We specifically extended an invitation to them (the Moodley family) through their defence team," she said.

"The prosecution (Zaais van Zyl), the Matthews family and superintendent Piet Byleveldt will attend."

De Beer said Byleveldt's testimony, which was never given in court, would be made public.

The investigating officer's testimony, spanning over 100 printed pages, could reveal details about the investigation and answer questions which went unanswered during the trial.

Last week Moodley confessed to kidnapping Matthews, extorting money from her family and murdering her on July 9 2004.

He was immediately found guilty by judge Joop Labuschagne.

The prosecution used policemen, scientists and a pathologist in an attempt to prove Moodley had stored the body in a refrigerator for 12 days before staging the crime scene in Walkerville.

Moodley denied this.

Defence advocate Johan Pretorius said on Wednesday he did not want to speculate on the sentence, but was expecting a "long term".

"We have a very experienced judge, and I have all the confidence in him," he said.

"I maintain we could have finalised the matter in one or two days," he said, reflecting on the trial.

"Whether the body was refrigerated and the scene staged can't make the charges any more serious."

Pretorius said he was unlikely to attend the news conference unless the Moodley family specifically asked him to.

The defence has asked the judge not to impose a life sentence.

The prosecution however asked for a life sentence for murder, over 16 years for the kidnapping and a further 15 for extortion.

Sentencing is due to start at 10:00 on Thursday.

- SAPA