Clash over motive for Jayde killing

File photo: A judge has denied Christopher Panayiotou's defence access to statements made by three key State witnesses.

File photo: A judge has denied Christopher Panayiotou's defence access to statements made by three key State witnesses.

Published Jun 4, 2015

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 Port Elizabeth - Christopher Panayioutou, the man accused of orchestrating the murder of his school teacher wife Jayde, will have to wait another 24 hours to find out if he will be released on bail.

This comes after after Port Elizabeth Magistrate Abigail Beaton said on Thursday she would have to revisit her judgment in the application.

Beaton told the State and defence she would have to consider the answers that were presented to her questions in court on Thursday.

Beaton said she would deliver her judgment at 10am on Friday morning.

Earleir the State and defence clashed over the apparent motive for Jayde’s murder.

State advocate Marius Stander, who is trying to convince Beaton to keep Panayioutou behind bars, was adamant that the State had a solid motive for the killing of 29-year-old Jayde.

“The bottom line is the State can prove a motive, and they will,” he declared.

Stander and defence advocate Terry Price were at loggerheads in court on Thursday morning.

While Stander wanted Beaton to deny the accused bail, Price went to town slamming the State and accusing them of “thumb sucking” a motive.

Stander had earlier claimed that the accused was under financial pressure to keep his slain wife and his lover happy. He argued that getting a divorce from Jayde was not an option for Panayioutou because his family would disinherit him.

Stander said he had it in writing, in an affidavit, that the accused was spending too much money and that he was buying a house against his will, and that is why he had had Jayde killed.

Price immediately challenged Stander to show the defence team this affidavit, before making a formal application to court for the defence to receive a copy of the affidavit.

Panayiotou was arrested days after Luthando Siyoli, a bouncer at a nightclub owned by Panayiotou, had been arrested.

A third suspect, Sizwezakhe Vumazonke was arrested later.

It is alleged that Panayiotou paid Siyoli R70 000 for the hit on his wife.

It is claimed Siyoli in turn secured the services of Vumazonke to carry out the job.

All three men have been charged with murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and conspiracy to commit murder.

ANA

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