Panayiotou stands accused of orchestrating the murder of his schoolteacher wife, Jayde. She was abducted from in front of her house while on her way to work in April last year.
Panayiotou and his two co-accused, Sizwezakhe Vumazonke and Sinethemba Nenemba, appeared in the Port Elizabeth magistrate’s court. ANA news quotes Panayiotou’s lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow, who said that he was instructed to arrange for a bail application based on new facts and that he was looking at a date sometime in May to proceed.
State Prosecutor Marius Stander said that the investigation was “99 percent complete” and that the state was now waiting for two aspects to be finalised.
“What is outstanding is the financial statements for accused number 2 (Vumazonke) and that will only be available at the end of April. We are also waiting for cellphone information from the United States,” said Stander.
Agleam news reports that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had previously made an application to the Department of Homeland Security in the United States. They are attempting to retrieve data from Panyiotou’s cellphone.
“The warrant of execution has been issued by the United States, so we are just waiting for that information to come,” said Stander.
Panayiotou is accused of masterminding his wife’s murder. He is alleged to have hired Vumazonke and Nenemba to kidnap and kill the 29-year-old schoolteacher.
Panayioutou is likely to stand trial in July. He was initially denied bail in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court and then again in the Grahamstown High Court.
The case made international headlines after the arrest of Jayde’s husband. The State will allege Panayiotou had her killed because she was a financial burden.
