Port Elizabeth - Port Elizabeth murder accused Christopher Panayiotou is likely to stand trial in July.
Panayiotou and his two co-accused, Sizwezakhe Vumazonke and Sinethemba Nenembe, appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s court on Monday.
The Port Elizabeth businessman is accused of masterminding his wife’s murder in April last year.
He is alleged to have hired Vumazonke and Nenembe to kidnap and kill 29-year-old school teacher, Jayde Panayiotou.
Members of both Jayde and Christopher Panayiotou’s family packed the courtroom.
State prosecutor Marius Stander told the court the investigation was not yet complete.
“We have requested for legal assistance from the department of homeland security in the USA, where that request is at the moment I cannot say,” said Stander.
Stander said that the investigation was not in the State’s hands at the moment and that in all probability the trial would get underway in July.
Meanwhile, Advocate Terry Price raised concern that every time the accused appeared in court, they were told the investigation was not complete and that his client, Christopher Panayiotou was “suffering irretuably”.
Price appealed to the State to take steps to determine when Panayiotou would likely be tried.
He also requested the State to keep the defence up to date on a fortnightly basis with relevant progress made.
Magistrate Lise Keech postponed the matter until March 11 for further investigation.
All three accused have been denied bail and will remain behind bars until their next court appearance.
Panayiotou was initially denied bail in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court and then again in the Grahamstown High Court when he appealed that decision.
In December, his defence lost its bid to gain access to the court docket in the Port Elizabeth High Court.
The case made international headlines after the shock arrest of Jayde’s husband just days after her body was found dumped in Uitenhage.
The school teacher was allegedly abducted while waiting for an early morning lift to work.
The State alleges Panayiotou had her killed because she was a financial burden.
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.
ANA