Port Elizabeth – Christopher Panayiotou, the businessman alleged to have orchestrated his wife’s death, turns 30 years old with his murder trial set to continue for the 16th day at the Port Elizabeth High Court on Wednesday.
Panayiotou and his two co-accused Sinethemba Nenembe and Zolani Sibeko are facing charges which include murder following the discovery of 29-year old Jayde Panayiotou’s body in a bushy area on the outskirts of Kwanobuhle on April 22 last year.
Panayiotou has been languishing at St Albans prison since April last year, this after a failed bail application at the Port Elizabeth Magistrates Court, a failed appeal at the Grahamstown High Court and an unsuccessful attempt to bring a bail application on new facts.
Despite seeing several graphic close up pictures of his wife’s injuries this week, the businessman remained stone faced, showing no visible signs of emotion. Jayde’s family, her mother Michelle and sister Toni Inggs, were heartbroken and wept as they saw visuals of her final moments.
On Tuesday a crime scene expert, Warrant Officer Phillip Bekker, testified that the school teacher was in a vulnerable crouching position when she was shot.
The State alleges she was shot twice through the back and once through the head.
Reconstructed pictures of her body movements were shown in court, along with Bekker’s opinion that Jayde was at first in a crouching position. He then recorded a backward movement, a spine and head movement and her final position showed her lying with her back flat to the ground.
“Bloodstains on the deceased’s shirt, the flow of blood towards the neck area indicates that her torso was definitely not upright,” said Bekker.
Bekker said that blood on Jayde’s right shoulder was also a factor which supported a crouching position at the time the shots were fired.
For the first time pictures showing the inside of Jayde and Christopher’s home at the Stellen Glen Complex were displayed in court. The lounge area, kitchen and a room showing Jayde’s dressing table, as well as personal items such as a hairbrush and make-up, were displayed.
Her murder accused husband, whom she had known since high school, showed no visible signs of emotion.
It is alleged that Panayiotou paid Luthando Siyoni, a bouncer from his Infinity nightclub, to hire hitman Sizwe Vumazonke to kidnap and kill Jayde. Vumazonke has since died.
Bekker will continue with his testimony on Wednesday.
African News Agency