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Coutts to testify against Panayiotou

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Port Elizabeth – Christopher Panayiotou’s alleged mistress, Chanelle Coutts, will give evidence in the case against him for the murder of his wife, Jayde, Netwerk24 reported.

State Prosecutor Marius Stander revealed in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Thursday that Coutts, believed to have been having an extra-marital affair with Panayiotou over the past three years, will be called as a State witness.

Coutts will testify that Panayiotou, 28, was involved in the murder of his wife, Jayde, Stander added.

Coutts’s involvement as a State witness was confirmed after Stander admitted in court during a heated exchange with defence attorney Terry Price that he had an affidavit that suggests a possible motive for Panayiotou to have killed his wife.

Also on the list of State witnesses is accused number 1, Thando Siyoli, 31.

Siyoli had originally been charged, along with Panayiotou and Sizwezakhe Vumazonke‚ 30, with conspiracy to commit murder, murder‚ kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and defeating the ends of justice.

Stander, though, confirmed for the first time on Thursday that Siyoli has struck a deal with the State, and will serve as a section 204 witness in exchange for immunity.

R50 000 offer for bail

Panayiotou has been in custody at St Alban’s Prison for more than a month since his arrest on April 29. His wife, Jayde, disappeared on April 21.

His lawyer has complained bitterly about what he said are appalling conditions at the prison.

Earlier on Thursday, the court heard that Panayiotou had offered R50 000 for bail. The State would take custody of his documents, which include a Cyprus ID card and a South African ID.

Price had said that Panayiotou would use a cellphone with a GPS tracking device, allowing police to keep an eye on his movements.

Magistrate Abigail Beeton is expected to hand down her judgment on the 28-year-old’s bail application on Friday.

Beeton said she had hoped to hand down judgment on Thursday and had a draft order for his bail application ready, but wanted one more day to reconsider following “clarity” she had received during the proceedings.

Cara-Lee Scheun, Netwerk24

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.