No testimony in Jayde murder trial for second day in a row

There was no testimony in the Panayiotou murder trial for a second day in a row on Thursday.

Alleged middleman Luthando Siyoni had been expected to take the stand in a trial-within-a-trial on Thursday morning after being locked in talks with prosecutor Marius Stander and his lawyer Zolile Ngqeza on Wednesday.

However Stander turned the tables on the defence when‚ instead of calling Siyoni to testify in the trial-within-a-trial‚ he argued against the process in totality.

Advocate Terry Price SC was furious‚ claiming he had been caught off guard.

Judge Dayalin Chetty ruled against the trial-within-a-trial‚ meaning Siyoni would take the stand and testify to his alleged involvement in the murder.

But when court resumed after the lunch break on Thursday afternoon‚ Ngqeza said he needed certain documents in order to advise his client.

The matter was postponed to Friday morning.

The state alleges Siyoni hired hitmen Sizwezakhe Vumazonke and Sinethemba Nemembe to carry out a hit on Panayiotou’s wife Jayde Panayiotou in April last year.

Zolani Sibeko is charged as a co-conspirator.

Jayde’s kidnapping and murder was allegedly orchestrated by her husband‚ Christopher Panayiotou‚ 30. — TMG Digital