‘Please have mercy on my brother’
Panayiotou’s sister makes desperate plea for judge not to hand down life sentence
CHRISTOPHER Panayiotou had a very dark side and his ability to sleep next to his wife, Jayde, for 13 nights while he callously planned her murder, was indicative of him being a psychopath. Then, once his plan had been carried out and Jayde, 29, had been executed, the businessman stood up in front of mourners and cried as he professed his love for her.
State advocate Marius Stander said he therefore found it difficult to believe that the convicted wife killer had been the generous, loving man his family had portrayed him to be as they pleaded for mercy ahead of sentencing yesterday.
Panayiotou’s sister, Kalleope, took the stand in the Port Elizabeth High Court in a final desperate attempt to persuade Judge Dayalin Chetty to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
Panayiotou’s tearful but confident younger sister said there was a lot more to Panayiotou, 31, than what had been portrayed in the media.
“As if Jayde’s death and Christopher being found guilty are not enough for us to bear, social media continues to crucify us,” she said.
Her brother had taken everything that had come his way, cooperated with the police and behaved like a polite gentleman at all times. “Although we respect the judgment of this court, as a loving family who choose to support their son and brother and not desert him in his hour of need, we humbly ask for mercy in giving a lesser sentence than life.”
It was a day filled with emotion as the defence team and Stander went head to head for the last time.
Chetty then revoked middleman Luthando Siyoni’s Section 204 status.
This means that he will now be arrested and tried for Jayde’s murder.
Chetty, after listening to brief argument by Siyoni’s lawyer, Zolile Ngqeza, said the bouncer had chosen to lie on the stand and could therefore not be indemnified from prosecution. Addressing the court with regard to Panayiotou, defence Advocate Terry Price SC said it needed to look at the possibility of rehabilitation.
“I concede that there is no one factor that amounts to substantial and compelling circumstances, so I ask the court to look at the factors as a whole.” He said Panayiotou was a first offender. “He is not a person who will commit another offence, as horrible as this one is.
“It was not only the Inggs family who suffered, but the Panayiotou family too.”
Panayiotou had a business brain and would likely use his time in prison to study.
“I place my client’s life and that of his family in your [Chetty’s] hands. The aggravation is evident.
“It was a planned, brutal murder and Jayde must have experienced immense fear. Sadly, I am not in a position to tell you why this was done.”
Price also asked the court to ignore Stander’s submission that Panayiotou was a psychopath, saying there was no such evidence before court.
Stander had argued that Jayde’s murder had been calculated, particularly for Panayiotou, who had more than enough time to withdraw from the plan.
“Even after renting the hit vehicle, he continued to sleep in the same house as Jayde,” he said. “Jayde had no way of defending herself. “I go cold thinking of what must have gone through her mind.
“The family says he is a kind man, but he clearly has a very dark side.
“To stand up at her funeral and praise her and then to witness his actions on [the sting video], falls closer to him being a psychopath.”
Defence attorney Peter Daubermann, in mitigating for a lesser sentence for Zolani Sibeko, 36, said unlike his co-accused, he had been convicted of conspiracy only.
He said the court could not hold Sibeko, a first offender, responsible for the fact that the murder was committed later.
He was never found to be involved in the kidnapping and murder.
Daubermann said hitman Sinethemba Nemembe, 29, had been in his final year of IT at Nelson Mandela University and had a five-year-old son.
Kalleope said her brother’s relationship with Jayde spanned over 10 years and the family had spent endless happy moments with her.
“We feel the void her death has left and we miss her dearly.”
She said Panayiotou was a compassionate and caring person who was known as a “gentle giant”.
“To our brother and son, know that your family is supporting you.
“We love you and will stand by your side. Have faith.
“We do not harbour any hate and hope that everyone eventually finds peace in some way.”
Panayiotou bowed his head as she spoke.
Sentence will be handed down today.