PORT ELIZABETH, June 23 (ANA) – After a mammoth trial the prosecution is soon expected to close its case against murder-accused businessman Christopher Panayiotou and his two co-accused Sinethemba Nenembe and Zolani Sibeko in the Port Elizabeth High Court.
State Prosecutor Marius Stander indicated in court on Friday that he would re-call investigating officer Captain Kanna Swanepoel next week as the States last witness.
Earlier, the State called Samier September from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University to testify on student records of Nenembe.
September indicated that Nenembe had enrolled at the university as a student since 2009. He also confirmed that Nenembe had adjusted his cell phone number on his student profile during April 2015.
The State further displayed a sick note supplied to the university by Nenembe which contained his cell phone number.
Earlier this week, National Investigative Analyst, Thereza Botha, testified on cell phone plotting which placed Nenembe in the vicinity of murdered schoolteacher Jayde Panayiotou’s Stelen Glen complex on the day she was kidnapped.
Evidence before court also details several calls made between Nenembe and the alleged hitman Sizwe Vumazonke on the day.
However, Nenembe’s lawyer, Peter Daubermann, said that there was no evidence to prove the allegation that there was an agreement between the two men.
Daubermann said it was purely “coincidence” the Nenembe and Vumazonke were in the same area after departing from the vicinity near to Jayde’s complex.
The schoolteacher was abducted while waiting for a lift to work and subsequently murdered on the outskirts of Kwanobhule during April 2015.
Her businessman husband is accused of paying Luthando Siyoni, a bouncer from his Infinity nightclub, to hire Vumazonke to kidnap and kill Jayde.
The State alleges that Nenembe assisted Vumazonke to kidnap and murder the teacher at the behest of her husband. Vumazonke has since died.
The trial continues on Monday.
-African News Agency (ANA)
