PORT ELIZABETH: Christopher Panayiotou’s ex-employee, Mawonga Ndedwa, has told the court how he stumbled on R30 000 in the OK Grocer storeroom and was instructed to give the money to alleged middleman Luthando Siyoni.
Other damning evidence revealed yesterday was the instruction by Panayiotou that Ndedwa must “destroy” a cellphone.
Ndedwa, a State witness, testified on the seventh day of the trial against Panayiotou and his two co-accused, Sinethemba Nenembe and Zolani Sibeko.
The State alleges Panayiotou paid Luthando Siyoni, a bouncer from his Infinity nightclub, to hire hitman Sizwe Vumazonke to kidnap and kill his schoolteacher wife, Jayde.
Ndedwa, who worked for the Panayiotous since 2012 as a merchandiser, told the court how Panayiotou was a good boss, someone who treated his staff very well.
Ndedwa also elaborated on how Panayiotou would use his personal cellphone to call Siyoni. He claimed that Panayiotou later instructed him to “destroy” the device.
“Chris gave me R1 000 and told me to part ways with this phone. I'm curious, so I asked why. Chris told me that (my) phone would cause police to be after me.” – ANA