NRI pleads guilty in kidnapping-murder trial
A 24-year-old student of Indian origin has pleaded guilty to the charge of murdering a 21-year-old girl.
A 24-year-old student of Indian origin has pleaded guilty to the charge of murdering a 21-year-old girl -- a fellow student -- a year ago.
Donovan Moodley made the admission in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday, at the very start of the trial of his case.
The state had alleged that Moodley, a student at the private Bond University in Johannesburg, kidnapped Leigh Matthews -- the girl -- in July last year and demanded R3,00,000 ransom for her release.
But when her parents only paid R50 000, Moodley shot the young girl in the head and then dumped her body in a field on the outskirts of Johannesburg on July 9. Her body was found on July 21.
When he appeared in court for the formal trial, Moodley admitted to all the charges.
"I am sorry", he told the parents of the girl. He also apologised to his own father, who is a Minister of religion.
The judge found Moodley guilty of all the charges and said he would impose the sentence once evidence in mitigation was given by the defence.