A Grahamstown High Court judge yesterday denied an application by Christopher Panayiotou, the man accused of masterminding the murder of his schoolteacher wife, access to statements by three key State witnesses.
Panayiotou’s lawyers made the application during his bail appeal.
They wanted access to copies of the statements by Panayiotou’s lover Chanelle Coutts, her best friend Clarissa Kapp and Luthando Siyoli, the man allegedly hired by Panayiotou to organise the killing of Panayiotou’s wife Jayde.
Coutts was expected to testify as to the direct motive for Jayde’s killing.
Defence advocate Mike Hellens told the court it would not be unreasonable for them to obtain the statements to see if this was in fact the case.
Hellens said it was strange that Siyoli was taken to Fort Beaufort to be detained, and that the police took him away for seven to eight hours before he was booked into the cells.
He further claimed that Siyoli had a swollen left eye before he made a confession to to the police.
Senior State advocate Marius Stander argued against giving the defence copies of the statements of the three State witnesses, saying Panayiotou’s legal team was embarking on a “fishing expedition”.
He said the defence was trying to convince the court that there was new evidence when there was not.
Stander cited case law which prescribed that any new facts pertaining to a bail application should be placed before a magistrate.
“There is no room for this court to deal with new facts. The court should not entertain this application here,” said Stander.
Stander said he had never denied that Siyoli would be a State witness. He further said he had not seen an injury to Siyoli’s face.
Goosen agreed, saying he could not see any injuries in the photograph handed up to the court by the defence.
Stander said the statements by Coutts and her friend was at the heart of Panayiotou’s bail hearing.
Jayde’s body was found near Uitenhage a day after she went missing in April. She had been shot several times.
Panayiotou, Siyoli and the alleged hitman, Sizwe Prince Vumazonke, were arrested shortly after the murder.
It is alleged that Panayiotou hired Siyoli to kill Jayde. According to the State’s case, Siyoli in turn allegedly hired Vumazonke to pull the trigger. – African News Agency