Oscar Pistorius parole: Leigh Matthews’ dad to represent June
The father of Leigh Matthews is also grieving his daughter. Here’s how he will stand in during the Oscar Pistorius parole bid
While June Steenkamp, the mother of the late Reeva Steenkamp, has confirmed that she will not oppose the parole hearing of Oscar Pistorius on Friday, 24 November, she will have her victim impact statement read out during the process.
Representing the elderly woman will be Rob Matthews, the father of slain student Leigh Matthews.
Like June, Rob’s daughter was murdered in a high-profile crime that gripped South Africa.
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OSCAR PISTORIUS PAROLE: LEIGH MATTHEWS DAD TO REPRESENT JUNE STEENKAMP
According to Steenkamp family advocate Tania Koen, Rob Matthews will read June’s victim impact statement during the parole hearing.
This, after her stand-in advocate, Annade Thiart-Hart, was denied permission to speak to the media by the Pretoria Advocates Association.
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Speaking to The South African, Koen said: “Rob and Sharon Matthews reached out to June and Barry – while he was still alive, and have been supporting each other.
“Rob graciously agreed to speak on June’s behalf. He and Sharon have been an advocate for justice for his daughter for many, many years. He knows the parole process.
“The bond between the families is amazing, but it’s also very sad.”
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BOND BETWEEN BROKEN FAMILIES
Leigh Matthews – a Bond University student – was kidnapped and murdered by stranger Donovan Moodley in 2004. She had just turned 21 years old.
Almost a decade later, Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed by her boyfriend, Oscar Pistorius, after he reportedly mistook her for an intruder in his Pretoria mansion.
But while Pistorius is likely to be granted parole, the Matthews family is fighting tooth and nail to ensure this doesn’t occur for Moodley, who is serving a life sentence.
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According to Koen, Moodley has challenged the parole board’s recommendation earlier this year that he not be granted an early release. The Matthews family were recently successful in filing an urgent order to be involved in the process.
Moodley’s review application will be heard at the Gauteng High Court next week.
‘VICTIMS HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK’
Koen added that much of June Steenkamp’s statement would share the impact of Oscar’s actions. This would include how it affected her and husband Barry, who recently died amid failing health.
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Will June has accepted that Pistorius will likely be given an early release; she has been granted the opportunity to have her voice heard.
Koen continued: “The law is very clear: victims have a right to speak, and everybody must know that.
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“That is something the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp wants to advocate for: victims’ rights. We should do more for the victims to know that because it’s also part of the healing journey and to form some closure. Also, to be part of the process, so they feel they are standing up for deceased loved ones