THE husband of slain Port Elizabeth teacher Jayde Panayiotou (29) stood quietly in the dock in a packed magistrates’ court here today as he was charged with her murder, while police confirmed a third arrest in connection with the case and said more could follow.
Christopher Panayiotou (28) appeared calm and was dressed in a black suit when he entered the Port Elizabeth Magistrates court yesterday morning. He kept his composure and did not say a word.
He was charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping.
He nodded in silence to indicate that he understood when Magistrate Jan van der Westhuizen put the charges to him.
Panayiotou was not asked to plead. His attorney, Alwyn Griebenow, did not apply for bail. Christopher will remain in custody until 19 June.
There were no family members of either him or his late wife present in court appearance.
A huge media contingent and members of the public gathered inside and outside the courtroom ahead of the hearing.
Onlookers expressed their outrage at the killing of the well-liked teacher, among them members of the Democratic Alliance Women’s Network (DAWN).
Kobus Gerber, member of AfriForum and the Nelson Mandela Bay Ratepayers Association, came into court with a poster and rope, suggesting that he was calling for the return of the death penalty.
Panayiotou was arrested on Wednesday when police swooped on him at an Uitenhage home after 22:00.
According to police sources they closed in on the husband after he made contact with a bouncer at an Algoa Park pub, over extra money that needed to be paid for the alleged hit on his wife.
He was arrested last week amid a media frenzy around his identity. This followed the earlier arrest of Luthando Siyoli, 31, in connection with the killing which shocked the city late last month. In further developments, police on Monday confirmed that a third suspect had been arrested in connection with the murder on Sunday and said the prospect of further arrests was not excluded.
“A third suspect, a 30-year-old male was arrested yesterday in New Brighton Port Elizabeth and he will appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s court tomorrow. This brings the total number of suspects arrested so far in the case, to three,” said police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills.
“The investigation team is working around the clock and more arrested are not excluded.”
Panayiotou’s case was remanded to 19 June and he was detained in custody.
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Siyoli appeared in court last week Thursday and his case has been remanded to May 7.