First witness to take the stand in Jayde Panayiotou murder trial
The state is expected to call its first witness on day two of the murder trial of PE businessman, Christopher Panayiotou.
He and two co-accused have pleaded not guilty to all six charges against them.
Panayiotou, has also pleaded not guilty to a seventh charge of obstructing or defeating the ends of justice.
He's accused of orchestrating the abduction and murder of his wife Jayde in April last year.
Day one of the much anticipated murder trail began with defence council, Terry Price reading Panayiotou's police statement into the record.
In his statement, Panayiotou said that he had no motive to kill his wife because they had just bought a house together.
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He also called for a trial within a trial, to determine the admissibility of the affidavit of Section 204 state witness to Thando Siyoni.
Panayiotou claims that it was obtained unlawfully, meanwhile, the State said it would be relying heavily on cellphone mapping to prove the conspiracy to murder the Riebeek High School teacher.
Jayde was kidnapped on the pavement in front of her [Stellen Glen] complex, in April 2015.
She was placed in the boot of a hired car and driven to an area near Kwanobule in Uitenhage where she was shot at twice in the back and once in the head.
It is alleged that Panayiotou paid Siyoni, a bouncer from his Infinity nightclub, to hire hitman Vumazonke to kidnap and kill Jayde.
On April 22, the day Jayde’s body was found, Siyoni and Jayde’s husband were identified as suspects.
The accused face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition. The men have pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them.
Panayiotou, who was arrested shortly after his wife’s murder more than a year ago, faces an additional charge of defeating the ends of justice.