Port Elizabeth murder accused Christopher Panayiotou will know on Friday whether or not he will get bail.
The Port Elizabeth businessman has been languishing in St Albans prison for several weeks following his arrest for allegedly orchestrating the abduction and murder of his school teacher wife Jayde.
Two other suspects, Luthando Siyoni, who allegedly arranged a hitman and Sizwezakhe Vumazonke, the alleged shooter, are also behind bars.
During proceedings on Thursday Magistrate Abigail Beeton raised questions, saying she was seeking clarity on several issues.
These related to Panayiotou's passport and other documents and why these were not being held by the state as a gesture from the defence that Panayiotou is not a flight risk.
State Prosecutor Marius Stander said that the state will take the documents into its possession if Panayiotou was granted bail, adding that anytime before this would be "inappropriate."
The court also heard that Panayiotou would be able to, if granted bail, pay an amount of R50 000.
Stander said he did not have a problem with that amount as it would not matter if Panayiotou's bail application was successful.
The issue of the motive for the murder also came up, with defence advocate Terry Price accusing the state of "thumb sucking" a motive as the matter proceeded.
He also said that the state did not have accused Number 1, Siyoni, in their "pocket" as he was now legally represented. He also disputed statements about an apparent confession Siyoni may have made.
Stander hit back by saying the state had already struck a deal with Siyoni and that he would at a later stage become a section 204 witness.
Price said the state has a "strong circumstantial case based on what Number 1" had told them, adding that if he folds under cross-examination during the trial, the state's case would "nose dive."
Stander said that state had indicated "upfront" what the motive was for the murder of the well-liked teacher, who was shot three times and dumped in an open area near Kwanobuhle in Uitenhage.
"We will prove it," Stander said.
Magistrate Abigail Beeton rolled the matter over to Friday saying that she needed to "revisit' her judgement. She will announce her decision at 10 am but will only provide full reasons to the state and defence next Thursday.
