R30,000 'to kill Jayde'

05 May 2015 - 08:55 By Riaan Marais and GARETH WILSON

The bouncer allegedly hired to find a hitman to kill Port Elizabeth teacher Jayde Panayiotou is alleged to have been paid R30000 for his services. This emerged yesterday as Panayiotou's husband, Christopher, appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and kidnapping and robbery with aggravated circumstances.A third man was taken into custody on Sunday.Dressed entirely in black, Panayiotou, who owns the Infiniti Cocktail Bar and Eatery in Algoa Park, cut a lonely figure as he entered the courtroom looking straight ahead, ignoring curious onlookers and members of the media, who had packed the courtroom.No members of Panayiotou's family or of Jayde's were in court.Police sources said yesterday that R30000 was allegedly paid to Infinity bouncer Luthando Siyoli, 31.The money was confiscated by the police when they arrested Siyoli at his KwaZakhele home.Siyoli, the first suspect arrested, is believed to have turned state witness, and will appear in court again on Thursday.Police insiders said that Siyoli had given a confession and a first-hand account of how the alleged hit had played out.A third suspect, arrested in New Brighton on Sunday, will appear in court today.Police spokes man Brigadier Marinda Mills refused to say whether the man arrested in New Brighton was the suspect who had been on the run since Jayde's murder a fortnight ago."The investigation team is working around the clock and more arrests are not excluded," she said.Christopher Panayiotou was not asked to plead and the case was postponed to June 19."We will take steps towards a formal bail application at a later stage," said defence attorney Alwyn Griebenow."Now that we know what the charges are against my client we can start working on how we will approach the case."Outside the court members of a number of organisations gathered to demand that Panayiotou be refused bail.The chairman for the Nelson Mandela Bay Ratepayers' Association and local AfriForum leader Kobus Gerber entered the magistrate's court carrying a hangman's noose before the proceedings started. He was told by a court orderly to leave."We would support the death penalty if it were an option," Gerber said. "Too many people who commit serious offences are released on bail only to break the law again."..

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