Going down

‘TELLING’ VIDEO LEADS TO GUILTY VERDICT FOR JAYDE’S HUSBAND Murdered wife’s family jubilant as court finds he had intricate knowledge of the hit.

Christopher Panayiotou is found guilty of murdering wife Jayde. He had ‘intimate knowledge’ of the hit, the court finds.

On his 31st birthday, Christopher Panayiotou was found guilty of murdering his schoolteacher wife, Jayde, in April 2015.

Following a marathon trial, Judge Dayalin Chetty handed down his verdict in the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth 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.

Panayiotou was visibly flushed and red in the face as judgment was handed down.

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.

Delivering his verdict yesterday, Chetty found that the undercover police video found Panayiotou to be complicit in his wife’s murder.

Dealing with the trial-within-a-trial, 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.

Chetty found that Panayiotou was not forced to meet 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 prosecution was not needed.

Chetty was scathing towards alleged middleman Luthando Siyoni, who Chetty 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 operation. Panayiotou had met with Siyoni out of his own accord and for his own agenda.

Chetty said Siyoni’s testimony on the stand was fabricated to suit Panayiotou’s defence. From the video, Chetty 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 …”

The attention to detail in Babalwa Breakfast’s statement shows that it was the truth. Dayalin Chetty Judge

The fact Jayde’s body was found with her jewellery showed that Panayiotou had intricate knowledge of the alleged hit.

Chetty also discarded testimony from Babalwa Breakfast, Siyoni’s girlfriend.

In her statement to police Breakfast implicated Panayiotou and Siyoni, but she later recanted her version.

“The attention to detail in Babalwa Breakfast’s statement [shows] that it was the truth,” said Chetty.

At the trial-within-a-trial, which was held to determine the admissibility of a secret video recording, state Advoacte Marius Stander called 17 witnesses. At the main trial, the state called 58 witnesses.

The state argued that Jayde’s murder was a “contract killing”, which included three stages: the preparation, execution and cover-up of the killing.

Stander alleged that Panayiotou had Jayde killed because he could no longer afford to keep his mistress, Chanelle Coutts, and wife happy.

Yesterday, 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 following the guilty verdicts. They clapped their hands in celebration.

Panayiotou’s family members were seen crying and dropped their heads as the businessperson was sent down to the cells.

Sentencing proceedings will take place on November 17. – ANA