Sangoma testifies in Jayde murder case
THE alleged triggerman in the Panayiotou murder trial went to his aunt‚ a sangoma‚ to be “washed” after Jayde Panayiotou’s murder‚ the Port Elizabeth High Court heard yesterday afternoon.
Zoleka Zekani‚ a sangoma from KwaNobuhle‚ told the court how Sizwezakhe Vumazonke – her sister’s son – grew up in front of her.
Zekani said Vumazonke arrived at her house soon after the murder‚ while she was in bed and her children had just left for school.
Vumazonke was shaking and shivering.
Sekani said Vumazonke had asked her to wash him‚ but she could not do so after what he had told her.
She says Vumazonke had a bag with him containing what looked like a laptop and books.
Vumazonke‚ who was charged with Jayde’s husband Christopher Panayiotou‚ Sinethemba Nemembe and Zolani Sibeko‚ has since died.
The three remaining accused have pleaded not guilty.
Earlier yesterday, Jayde Panayiotou’s distraught mother Michelle Inggs sobbed and ran out of court as a photograph of the schoolteacher’s body‚ abandoned in an open field near KwaNobuhle‚ was shown to the court.
Warrant Officer Paul Franks of the K9 Unit said he found Jayde’s body on April 22 last year‚ a day after she went missing.
The search was conducted in the KwaNobuhle area on April 21 after there was an attempt to withdraw money from Jayde’s bank account in the area.
The search was called off when it became dark‚ but the search and rescue team returned to the area the following day after a resident claimed to hearing three gunshots.
A close-up of Jayde’s face was briefly shown on the overhead projector‚ followed by a picture of her lying on her back.
Clarishka Kapp‚ best friend of Panayiotou’s mistress Chanelle Coutts‚ was the first witness of the day‚ picking up where she left off last Thursday.
She told the court how Panayiotou often bought her expensive gifts.
Kapp said Panayiotou bought her a Polo handbag‚ a watch from a trip overseas and a cellphone worth R7 000 – gifts similar to those he bought for Coutts.
Defence advocate Terry Price SC said Panayiotou also bought Jayde similar gifts.
At one stage the court was forced to adjourn when Kapp broke down.
Price said Kapp was misleading the court and purposefully left out vital information in her testimonyinand claimed she had certain dates mixed up.
Price said cellphone billing placed Panayiotou‚ Kapp and Coutts in Port Elizabeth on the weekend of September 29 2014‚ when Kapp claimed they were in George.
Questioning a photograph Coutts allegedly sent Kapp of the two of them in bed together‚ Kapp admitted the photo was in response to one she sent to them of herself in the bath.
“It only showed the top half of my body and I had a glass of wine in my hand‚” Kapp said.
The trial continues today. — TMG Digital/HeraldLIVE