Leigh's dad to testify

2005-07-28 11:37

Johannesburg - A short adjournment was called during the testimony of Detective Superintendent Piet Byleveldt on Thursday at the murder trial of Donovan Moodley, who has already been convicted of the murder of student Leigh Matthews.

Moodley pleaded guilty on Monday and was declared guilty shortly afterwards by Judge Joop Labuschagne. However, the State refutes part of Moodley's confession which says that he killed her where her body was found.

The State believes she was killed elsewhere and moved to the spot in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg, where her remains were found by a grasscutter.

Defence advocate Johan Pretorius objected to the State's questions saying: "We've admitted everything. He killed her. With all due respect, this is a waste of the court's time."

Byleveldt had just been asked how strong the State's case was against Moodley.

The first witness of the day, Sietze Alberts who has served 16 years as a crime scene expert, testified that he found no bullets in the ground at the spot where Matthews' body was found.

There were also no bullets within a metre of her surroundings.

He said the metal detector used could pick up any type of metal as deep as 40 metres in the ground.

Byleveldt was expected to continue after the adjournment and testimony was also expected from the murdered girl's father, Rob.

Arriving at court, Mr Matthews flew past reporters without stopping for a minute or speaking to them as he usually does.

"I've got to run," he said, looking preoccupied.

His wife Sharon, daughter Karen and a family friend also dashed past reporters. Asked whether her husband would testify, Mrs Matthews nodded her head.

Moodley was arrested on October 4.

- SAPA