Panayiotou’s bail application set down for Thursday
CHRISTOPHER Panayiotou, who allegedly orchestrated his wife Jayde’s abduction and murder three weeks ago, is expected to return to court on Thursday to make a formal application for bail.
Panayiotou, 28, has been in custody since April 29 after his arrest in Uitenhage for allegedly paying men to abduct his wife from their Kabega Park townhouse complex and murder her.
He was expected to apply for bail at his first court appearance on May 4, but his attorney Alwyn Griebenow said they would be applying this week.
“We have approached the state and we will be back in court on Thursday to make a formal bail application,” Griebenow said yesterday.
Griebenow said it was unclear if the state would be ready to proceed with bail proceedings and there was a good chance the case would be postponed for a few days before any witnesses could be called.
“The state will probably look to set a date for the bail application to proceed, but if they are willing to proceed we are ready for Thursday.”
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Velekha- ya Mgobhozi said the formal bail application would be on Thursday and the state would be ready to proceed.
“We are aware that Thursday was set aside for the application, and the prosecution has indicated they are ready to proceed. The onus is on the defence to prove it is in the interests of justice that their client be released on bail . . .
“The prosecution is ready to see what evidence they bring before court,” Mgobhozi said.
Panayiotou is scheduled to appear before court on June 19 when he will stand in the dock alongside his co-accused, Luthando Siyoli, 31, and Sizwezakhe Vumazonke, 30.
Siyoli, a bouncer at an Algoa Park night club owned by Panayiotou, was arrested first and is believed to have turned state witness, helping the police set a trap that led to Panayiotou’s arrest.
Vumazonke was arrested days after Panayiotou and is alleged to have shot Jayde on a farm outside Uitenhage.