Panayiotou hitman ‘poisoned’
SUSPECTED hitman Sizwezakhe Vumazonke died in Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, early yesterday morning‚ his lawyer Michelle Blignaut said.
The state is still waiting for the results of a toxicology report after suspicions that the man who allegedly kidnapped and murdered teacher Jayde Panayiotou at the behest of her husband was poisoned.
Fears that Vumazonke may have been poisoned emerged earlier this week as he slipped into a coma.
Vumazonke‚ 30‚ who was allegedly hired by Panayiotou’s husband Christopher‚ 29‚ to kidnap and murder her in April last year‚ had been under heavy police guard in the intensive care unit at the hospital.
A source close to the investigation said they feared Vumazonke had been poisoned.
Pre-trial proceedings had been scheduled to kick off in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Monday morning‚ but were postponed to September 15 when state advocate Marius Stander said Vumazonke was admitted to Livingstone Hospital‚ where he was under police guard.
It was the second time Vumazonke’s illness had caused the proceedings to be halted after advocate Hannelie Bakker last month said her client was so ill that he could barely walk and required urgent medical attention‚ and the matter was stood down until Monday. – TMG Digital