Possible state witness in Jayde murder being kept apart
THE man who gave police a stepby-step account of Jayde Panayiotou’s abduction and murder will be kept well out of reach of his co-accused after his second appearance in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court.
Accused No 1, Luthando Siyoli, 31, tried his best to conceal his face from journalists in the courtroom where he made a brief appearance yesterday.
Although photographers were ordered not to take pictures of him, Siyoli still pulled the collar of his jacket up and covered his face with his right hand while magistrate Jan van der Westhuizen addressed him.
Prosecutor Marius Stander asked that Siyoli’s case be postponed to June 19, the same day Jayde’s husband Christopher, 28, and accused No 3, Sizwekhaya Vumazonke, 30, are due to appear again.
Siyoli’s attorney, Johan van der Spuy, could not be in court as he had another matter in the Port Elizabeth High Court, but criminal defence attorney Rudi Stander stood in for him and confirmed the date the prosecution gave.
Stander also brought an application that Siyoli be kept in custody at the cells of the Humewood police station. His separation from the other accused is for his own safety as he is believed to have turned state witness.
Stander refused to comment further on the case and referred all questions to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Velekhaya Mgobhozi.
Mgobhozi said he could not confirm that Siyoli had turned state witness as he had not yet received confirmation of it.
“No such documents have been given to the NPA, so I cannot confirm that there are any state witnesses. That is not to say that the accused will not decide to plea [bargain] and become witnesses in the case,” Mgobhozi said.
He said it was the magistrate’s prerogative to refuse photographs in the court.
On bail applications, Mgobhozi said no dates had been confirmed.
“The defence cannot ambush the state with an unexpected bail application. The state must be notified well in advance . . .”
New details emerged yesterday as Correctional Services reported that Vumazonke’s house in Kwazakhele had been visited only four days before the April 21 abduction and murder of Jayde.
This comes amid a probe by the NPA, police and Correctional Services to determine how Vumazonke’s parole was not withdrawn three months ago after his arrest for armed robbery in December.
Yesterday, prosecutors said the court had been told about Vumazonke’s sentence, claiming the magistrate would have known he was on parole even though the state, detectives or Vumazonke had not told the court.
On Monday, it emerged that R30 000 had been paid to alleged middleman Siyoli, 31, which was confiscated by police when they raided his Kwazakhele home.
Correctional Services top brass yesterday dismissed reports that Christopher was being kept on suicide watch at St Albans Prison.
Correctional Services provincial commissioner Nkosinathi Breakfast confirmed that parole was granted after Vumazonke had served 2½ years of a fiveyear sentence in St Albans.
Yesterday, police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills said the issue was under investigation by the provincial office.