Panayiotou ‘mistress’ turns state witness

Panayiotou is accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of his wife, Jayde Panayiotou, last month, Rekord East reported.

Recently, Coutts was said to have had suffered a breakdown and was no longer at work after rumours of the pair’s affair surfaced in the wake of his arrest.

During last week’s bail hearing in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court, Panayiotou reportedly complained about prison conditions. In an affidavit, Panayiotou said that the “despicable” and “disgusting” conditions at St Albans were in contravention of the Correctional Services Act.

He also argued that his business would go under, jeopardising the livelihoods of the staff, if he was not released on bail. Panayiotou and his co-accused Luthando Siyoli and Sizwezakhe Vumazonke face charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping.

The state accused Panayiotou of unlawfully encouraging Siyoli to flee Port Elizabeth to avoid being caught and arrested by the police on April 29. It is also alleged he paid Siyoli R5 000 to get out of town and encouraged him to destroy cellphone sim cards used when the men allegedly conspired to murder his wife.

He is due back in the court tomorrow.

– Caxton News Service