Port Elizabeth businessman Christopher Panayiotou, who stands accused of orchestrating the murder of his schoolteacher wife, is expected to apply for bail based on new facts.
Panayiotou and his two co-accused, Sizwezakhe Vumazonke and Sinethemba Nenemba, appeared in the Port Elizabeth magistrate’s court on Friday.
The court room was once again packed with media and both the Inggs and Panayioutou families were present. Jayde Panayiotou, formerly Inggs, was murdered in April last year.
Panayiotou’s lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow, indicated in court on Friday that he was instructed to arrange for a bail application based on new facts and that he was looking at a date sometime in May to proceed.
State Prosecutor Marius Stander said that on April 11 both the defence and state would meet with a judge to arrange for a date in May for the bail application on new facts to proceed.
Stander said that the investigation was “99 percent complete” and that the state was now waiting for two aspects to be finalised.
“What is outstanding is the financial statements for accused number 2 [Sizwezakhe Vumazonke] and that will only be available at the end of April. We are also waiting for cellphone information from the United States,” said Stander.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had previously made an application to the Department of Homeland Security in the United States, this in order to retrieve the data from Christopher Panyiotou’s cellphone.
During Panayiotou’s previous bail application it emerged that the cellphone data would be almost impossible to retrieve. Panayiotou had previously indicated in court documents that he had had the data wiped to remove traces of his extramarital affair with employee Chanelle Coutts.
It emerged that the State had sought legal assistance from the US Department of Homeland Security in order to retrieve Whatsapp messages and Facebook content.
“The warrant of execution has been issued by the United States, so we are just waiting for that information to come,” said Stander.
Stander also indicated that the state would issue the case docket to the Director of Public Prosecution next week, for instruction on the matter.
He added that from next week the state would also start making portions of the docket available to the defence.
Panayiotou is accused of masterminding his wife’s murder in April last year.
He is alleged to have hired Vumazonke and Nenemba to kidnap and kill 29-year-old schoolteacher, Jayde Panayiotou.
In January, the court heard that Panayioutou was likely to stand trial in July.
Panayiotou was initially denied bail in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court and then again in the Grahamstown High Court when he appealed that decision.
The case made international headlines after the shock arrest of Jayde’s husband just days after her body was found dumped in Uitenhage.
The schoolteacher was allegedly abducted while waiting for an early morning lift to work.
The State alleges Panayiotou had her killed because she was a financial burden.
She was reportedly hit on the head and placed in the boot of her abductor’s car. She was then apparently shot at close range – twice in the back and once in the head.
The case was postponed until April 18.
– African News Agency (ANA)
