Port Elizabeth - The bail hearing of murder accused Christopher Panayiotou looked set to proceed on Thursday when his senior legal counsel was spotted in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court.
The bail application was postponed on Wednesday by a visibly upset Magistrate Abigail Beaton after a late change in counsel for Panayiotou. He was represented by attorney Theuns Roelofse, due to his advocate, Terry Price being out of town.
Beaton, however, was not happy with the sudden change as the defence counsel had not filed a notice of substitution with the court. She eventually postponed the matter until Thursday when Price was scheduled to be available.
Price and instructing attorney, Alwyn Griebenow, were both present at court on Thursday morning, with Price seen consulting with Panayiotou and also speaking to Panayiotou’s parents, Fanoula and Costa, ahead of the start of proceedings.
It is exactly a month ago on Thursday that Port Elizabeth was rocked with the news of the disappearance of Riebeek College Girls’ schoolteacher, Jayde Panayioutou, 29.
Her photograph was circulated on social media as news emerged that she had been abducted from her Kabega Park townhouse before her body was found dumped in the Rocklands area a day later.
Panayiotou was arrested days after Luthando Siyoli, 31, a bouncer at a nightclub owned by Panayiotou, had been arrested. A third suspect, Sizwezakhe Vumazonke, 30, was arrested later. All three men have been charged with murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and conspiracy to commit murder.
ANA