Jayde murder accused Siyoni to stand trial in May

The murder trial of self-confessed middleman Luthando Siyoni, who allegedly helped plan and execute the kidnapping and murder of Uitenhage schoolteacher Jayde Panayiotou, has been set down to begin in May.

Siyoni, 37, a former employee of Panayiotou’s husband Christopher, who is already serving a life sentence for the arranged a hit on his wife, faces two charges related to his role in the April 2015 murder.

Siyoni was the first person to be arrested in connection with the murder after police received a tip-off.

Shortly after his arrest Siyoni quickly confessed to the details of the kidnapping and the murder which were made in statements obtained from both him and his girlfriend, Babalwa Breakfast.

After the trial Siyoni, who had turned state witness, was declared a hostile witness after he changed his version of events and refused to answer questions, leading to charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder being reinstated against him.

He was nabbed by police at his Kutali Street, Kwazakhele home in May last year after being on the run for nearly six months.

On Thursday, state prosecutor Marius Stander told the Port Elizabeth High Court that the trial was ready to begin and after consulting with Siyoni’s lawyer Zolile Ngqeza, a date had been arranged for May 3 2021.

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