Hawks lambasted in Jayde case

ADMISSIBILITY OF VIDEO

Defence advocate criticises police methods, pours scorn on commander.

The murder trial involving Christopher Panayiotou and his two co-accused resumed in the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth yesterday. There is a trial within a trial to determine the admissibility of a video recording in which Panayiotou allegedly implicated himself.

The businessman is accused of masterminding the abduction and murder of his school teacher wife Jayde in April 2015.

Yesterday, the state called Lieutenant-Colonel Audrey Till, who at the time of Panayiotou’s arrest was the acting commander of the police’s Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in Port Elizabeth.

Till, who was present during Panayiotou’s arrest, told the court that the businessman was mute when police swooped on him at a home in Uitenhage just days after his wife’s killing.

Till said that the investigating officer, Captain Kanna Swanepoel, read Panayioutou’s rights – but Panayiotou refused to say anything or sign any documentation.

“[Outside the house] there was a search of a vehicle in which a cellphone was found in the front panel of the car,” said Till.

Till told the court that at the time of Panayiotou’s arrest, his father, Costa Panayiotou, was the only family member present.

Till, Swanepoel and Warrant Officer Leon Eksteen, together with Panayiotou, proceeded to the Stellen Glen Complex in Kabega Park, where a search took place and items were seized from the couple’s home, according to her testimony.

Under cross examination, defence advocate Terry Price put it to Till that Panayiotou was never warned of his rights and his father, Costa, would testify to that.

Price further criticised police methods, in that Panayiotou refused to sign in Swanepoel’s pocket book that he had been warned of his rights.

“But Swanepoel does not say that in either of his affidavits,” argued Price.

The defence questioned if Panayiotou had waived his right to an attorney – arguing how was it possible if he did not speak at the time of his arrest.

Price went on to lambaste Till for being unaware of a recorded interview and transcripts of when a bouncer who worked for Panayiotou, Luthando Siyoni – the alleged middleman – was taken by police to the Hawks offices.

Till said that she had only become aware of the recording yesterday.

The case was postponed until tomorrow. – ANA