Panayiotou found guilty of wife’s murder
PORT ELIZABETH: ON his 31st birthday, Christopher Panayiotou was found guilty of murdering his schoolteacher wife, Jayde.
Following a mammoth trial, Judge Dayalin Chetty handed down his verdict in the Port Elizabeth High Court yesterday. Panayiotou was found guilty on a charge of murder.
The remaining counts of conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition and defeating the ends of justice fell away.
Sinethemba Nenembe was found guilty on charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Zolani Sibeko was found guilty on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder, but was acquitted on the remaining counts. Jayde’s family, including her father Derrick, mother Michelle and sister Toni Inggs, as well as a sea of “Justice For Jayde” supporters were overcome with emotion and embraced one another follow-
ing the guilty verdicts.
Panayiotou’s family members were seen crying and dropped their heads as the businessman was sent down to the cells. Sentencing will take place on November 17.
The undercover police video found Panayiotou to be complicit in Jayde’s murder, the Port Elizabeth High Court heard yesterday.
Dealing with the trial-within-a-trial, Judge 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.
Judge Chetty found that Panayiotou was not forced to meet middleman Luthando 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 Prosecutions was not needed.
Judge Chetty was scathing towards Siyoni, who the judge 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 Siyoni out of his own accord and for his own agenda.
Judge Chetty said Siyoni’s testimony on the stand was fabricated to suit Panayiotou’s defence. From the video the judge said 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.