Port Elizabeth - Businessman Christopher Panayiotou - who is accused of orchestrating the murder of his wife, Jayde - feels his right to a fair trial has been “trashed by the state”, his lawyer said.
Panayiotou and his two co-accused Sinethemba Nenembe and Zolani Sibeko on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them in the Port Elizabeth High Court.
Jayde Panayiotou, a schoolteacher, was allegedly abducted outside her home while waiting for an early morning lift to work in April last year. She was reportedly hit on the head and placed in the boot of her abductor’s car. She was then apparently shot at close range - twice in the back and once in the head.
The case made headlines after Panayiotou was arrested just days after his wife’s body was found dumped in Uitenhage.
The businessman is accused of orchestrating the murder and abduction. The State alleges he had her killed because she was a “financial burden”.
It is alleged that he paid Luthando Siyoni, a bouncer from his Infinity nightclub, to hire hitman Vumazonke to kidnap and kill Jayde.
The State alleges that Nenembe assisted Vumazonke to kidnap and murder Jayde at the behest of her husband.
Siyoni has since turned State witness.
Cellphone plotting indicated Sibeko was with Nenembe and Vumazonke outside Jayde’s Stellen Glenn Complex in Kabega Park just five days before the schoolteacher was abducted.
Panayiotou, Nenembe and Sibeko face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.
Panayiotou faces an additional charge of defeating the ends of justice.
State Prosecutor Marius Stander indicated that on a count of murder the men face a possibility of life imprisonment. On a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances they could each face up to 15 years behind bars.
In reading out Panayiotou’s plea explanation, Advocate Terry Price said that his client’s right to a fair trial had been “trashed by the state”, by way of police obtaining evidence “unlawfully” through Siyoni.
Price is requesting a trial within a trial to take place.
“Siyoni was assaulted and arrested unlawfully, therefore all the evidence given by Siyoni is inadmissible and should not be used by this court,” said Price.
He said that Siyoni had a swollen left eye after his arrest and his assault was confirmed by at least four people.
Price took further aim at Siyoni and said that the bouncer had implicated Panayiotou with the help of Investigating Officer Kanna Swannapoel. He said that Siyoni had given two different statements to police.
In summary Price claimed that the State had “trashed the constitution” and brought the South African criminal justice system into disrepute by “pressurising witnesses”.
The trial, which is being attended by significant numbers of family members of the accused and of the deceased, continues.
African News Agency