Port Elizabeth - The undercover police video found Christopher Panayiotou to be complicit in his wife Jayde's murder, the Port Elizabeth High Court heard on Thursday.
Judge Dayalin Chetty is busy delivery his verdict in the murder trial involving Panayiotou, Sinethemba Nenembe and Zolani Sibeko.
Dealing with the trial-within-a-trial, Chetty gave reasons why he ruled the audio video recording admissible. He said to have excluded the video as evidence would have not been in the interests of justice.
Chetty found that Panayiotou was not forced to meet Siyoni. "Fact that this was induced by police is irrelevant."
He further found that police did not act in bad faith when setting up the undercover operation and authorisation from the Director of Public Prosecution was not needed.
The Port Elizabeth High Court was packed on Thursday for the judgement in the murder trial of Christopher Panayiotou, Sinethemba Nenembe and Zolani Sibeko. PHOTO: Raahil Sain/ANA
Chetty was scathing towards alleged middleman Luthando Siyoni who Chetty found was never beaten up by police, adding that Siyoni's evidence was fabricated and was to be rejected.
He said that Siyoni acted as a willing participant in the undercover police operation. He stated that Panayiotou had met with Siyoni out of his own accord and for his own agenda.
Chetty said Siyoni's testimony on the stand was fabricated to suit Panayiotou's defence. From the video Chetty said that it was clear that Panayiotou knew that the alleged hitman had not acted alone.
The judge said what was "telling" was the words of Panayiotou to Siyoni in the car: "I told you to let them do it outside the house and take the bags and the watch ..."
He further said the fact Jayde's body was found with her jewellery showed that Panayiotou had intricate knowledge of the alleged hit.
Chetty also discarded testimony from Babalwa Breakfast, Siyoni's girlfriend.
In her statement to police Breakfast implicated Panayiotou and Siyoni, but she later recanted her version, denying the entirety of her statement.
"The attention to detail in Babalwa Breakfast's statement [show] that it was the truth," said Chetty.