Another postponement in the Panayiotou case
The case against Port Elizabeth businessman Christopher Panayiotou and his two co-accused has been postponed to 3 May.
Panayiotou, Sizwezakhe Vumazonke and Sinethemba Nenemba appeared briefly in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's court Monday morning.
28-year-old Panayiotou is accused of orchestrating the abduction and murder of his school teacher wife, Jayde, in April 2015.
It is alleged he paid Luthando Siyoli, who has turned state witness, to hire Vumazonke to murder his wife.
The case was postponed in order for legal aid, now representing Nenembe, to receive copies of the case docket.
Magistrate Esté Petzer said, however, that the court would not allow any further postponements as the case had been on the court roll since last year.
Eastern Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Tshepo Ndwalaza said all parties concerned would meet ahead of the case being transferred to the High Court for trial.
"The state and the defence, including the judge will meet and thrash out everything about the proceedings of the court pertaining to this trail so that they understand each other, what is the way forward, and make sure everybody is on the same page," Ndwalaza said.