Christopher Panayiotou has no intention to leave the country and believes he will be found innocent when he goes on trial‚ the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court heard on Thursday.
Panayiotou‚ who is alleged to have orchestrated his wife Jayde’s abduction and murder three weeks ago‚ was applying for bail.
Panayiotou said in an affidavit read by his advocate Terry Price: “There us absolutely no motive for me to have had Jayde murdered. I will plead not guilty.”
Price said his client was willing to adhere to any bail amount “provided that it is deemed reasonable by this court”‚ The Herald’s Deneesha Pillay tweeted.
Not to be granted bail would be a matter of punishment before conviction‚ argued Price‚ who also said that more outrageous murder cases have occurred in this country and the accused parties in those cases were granted bail.
Price also cited the conditions of the notorious St Albans Prison‚ where Panayiotou has been held in custody since May 4‚ to bolster his client’s bid for bail‚ saying they “are nothing short of disgusting”.
The behaviour of officials at the correctional facility has also been the subject of a Port Elizabeth High Court action this week‚ with former inmates accusing them irregular searching procedures and torture.
Price also said that his client has never been charged with any offence prior to this case
Prosecutor Marius Stander earlier listed the charges against Panayiotou as “conspiracy to commit murder‚ kidnapping‚ robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder”.
Some media outlets reported an additional charge of defeating the ends of justice for ordering his “middle man” to destroy evidence and misleading police about his whereabouts.
The middle man is said to be Luthando Siyoli‚ a bouncer at a club owned by Panayiotou‚ who is also currently in custody.
Price‚ in reading his client’s affidavit‚ however‚ said Siyoli’s “claims may well be excluded”.
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 when the case resumed.
Reports ahead of his last appearance claimed he was having an affair with 26-year-old Chanelle Coutts.
According to Panayiotou’s advocate on Thursday morning‚ Coutts has been harassed since her name was mentioned in media reports.
“Jayde and I were in love‚” Price said‚ reading from Panayiotou’s affidavit.
At around the same time Panayiotou’s first appearance‚ Siyoli was said to have concluded a plea deal with police that involved the operation to catch Panayiotou for orchestrating his wife’s killing.
Siyoli‚ who was arrested by police acting on a tip-off‚ gave detectives a step-by-step recap of the plot. He claimed Panayiotou had paid him to have Jayde killed.
After agreeing to turn state witness and set up the sting‚ Siyoli is said to have contacted Panayiotou‚ demanding more money due to the “hype” around the murder.
A meeting was set up in Uitenhage on Wednesday and the money was paid over to Siyoli‚ witnessed by undercover police.
Panayiotou was later arrested.
The third suspect‚ said to be the hit man‚ was also arrested later.
When Sizwezakhe Vumazonke made a brief appearance in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court‚ he claimed he had been assaulted by police.
His case was postponed to 19 June.
Thursday morning’s appearance was initially held up when Tiso Blackstar made an application to have court proceedings streamed live.
The media house was given permission to record and take pictures during court proceedings after the magistrate met with lawyers in chambers to discuss the matter.
The Herald’s Pillay tweeted that the “defence did not oppose media presence”‚ followed by quoting magistrate Abigaile Beato as saying: “This court is an open court.”
According to posts on Twitter‚ the magistrate has allowed for one still and one video camera to be in the courtroom. These must not‚ however‚ interfere with proceedings.
This was followed by a second adjournment to allow the successful applicants to set up their equipment.
During this break‚ “SABC and ETV camera men have been told to remove their cameras from the court room as they did not make an application to film‚” Pillay tweeted. — The Herald/RDM News Wire
Jayde's husband intends to plead not guilty
Panayiotou‚ who is alleged to have orchestrated his wife Jayde’s abduction and murder three weeks ago‚ was applying for bail.
Panayiotou said in an affidavit read by his advocate Terry Price: “There us absolutely no motive for me to have had Jayde murdered. I will plead not guilty.”
Price said his client was willing to adhere to any bail amount “provided that it is deemed reasonable by this court”‚ The Herald’s Deneesha Pillay tweeted.
Not to be granted bail would be a matter of punishment before conviction‚ argued Price‚ who also said that more outrageous murder cases have occurred in this country and the accused parties in those cases were granted bail.
Price also cited the conditions of the notorious St Albans Prison‚ where Panayiotou has been held in custody since May 4‚ to bolster his client’s bid for bail‚ saying they “are nothing short of disgusting”.
The behaviour of officials at the correctional facility has also been the subject of a Port Elizabeth High Court action this week‚ with former inmates accusing them irregular searching procedures and torture.
Price also said that his client has never been charged with any offence prior to this case
Prosecutor Marius Stander earlier listed the charges against Panayiotou as “conspiracy to commit murder‚ kidnapping‚ robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder”.
Some media outlets reported an additional charge of defeating the ends of justice for ordering his “middle man” to destroy evidence and misleading police about his whereabouts.
The middle man is said to be Luthando Siyoli‚ a bouncer at a club owned by Panayiotou‚ who is also currently in custody.
Price‚ in reading his client’s affidavit‚ however‚ said Siyoli’s “claims may well be excluded”.
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 when the case resumed.
Reports ahead of his last appearance claimed he was having an affair with 26-year-old Chanelle Coutts.
According to Panayiotou’s advocate on Thursday morning‚ Coutts has been harassed since her name was mentioned in media reports.
“Jayde and I were in love‚” Price said‚ reading from Panayiotou’s affidavit.
At around the same time Panayiotou’s first appearance‚ Siyoli was said to have concluded a plea deal with police that involved the operation to catch Panayiotou for orchestrating his wife’s killing.
Siyoli‚ who was arrested by police acting on a tip-off‚ gave detectives a step-by-step recap of the plot. He claimed Panayiotou had paid him to have Jayde killed.
After agreeing to turn state witness and set up the sting‚ Siyoli is said to have contacted Panayiotou‚ demanding more money due to the “hype” around the murder.
A meeting was set up in Uitenhage on Wednesday and the money was paid over to Siyoli‚ witnessed by undercover police.
Panayiotou was later arrested.
The third suspect‚ said to be the hit man‚ was also arrested later.
When Sizwezakhe Vumazonke made a brief appearance in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court‚ he claimed he had been assaulted by police.
His case was postponed to 19 June.
Thursday morning’s appearance was initially held up when Tiso Blackstar made an application to have court proceedings streamed live.
The media house was given permission to record and take pictures during court proceedings after the magistrate met with lawyers in chambers to discuss the matter.
The Herald’s Pillay tweeted that the “defence did not oppose media presence”‚ followed by quoting magistrate Abigaile Beato as saying: “This court is an open court.”
According to posts on Twitter‚ the magistrate has allowed for one still and one video camera to be in the courtroom. These must not‚ however‚ interfere with proceedings.
This was followed by a second adjournment to allow the successful applicants to set up their equipment.
During this break‚ “SABC and ETV camera men have been told to remove their cameras from the court room as they did not make an application to film‚” Pillay tweeted. — The Herald/RDM News Wire
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