Fifth suspect in Jayde Panayiotou murder appears in court
A casually dressed Zolani Sibeko made his first appearance in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on Tuesday in connection with the murder of Jayde Panayiotou.
More than a year since the school teacher's murder, Sibeko is the fifth person to be arrested for the alleged crime.
Jayde's husband, Christopher is accused of masterminding her kidnapping and murder in April last year, allegedly for financial reasons.
The state alleges he paid a bouncer at his Infinity nightclub, Luthando Siyoni, to hire hitman Sizwezakhe Vumazonke to kidnap and kill Jayde.
Siyoni has since become a section 204 witness which means he is indemnified from prosecution if the court is satisfied at the end of the trial that he testified openly and honestly.
The state further alleges that Sinethemba Nenembe assisted Vumazonke to kidnap and kill Jayde at the behest of her husband.
During court proceedings on Tuesday, State Prosecutor Marius Stander indicated that he would oppose bail as the crime Sibeko is accused of is a schedule six offence.
Stander said that the state was still trying to establish if Sibeko was in fact 35-years-old.
He said that Sibeko insisted that his surname was 'Roxo' however the state was also still trying to clarify this and indicated that fingerprint testing would be done.
The latest development in the case comes as police arrested Sibeko at his parental home in Greenbushes on Sunday.
Police arrested him through cell phone plotting which placed him at the Stellen Glen complex with other suspects where the alleged kidnapping took place.
It emerged in court that Sibeko has previous convictions and a warrant for his arrest was still outstanding in another matter.
Sibeko told Magistrate Esti Petzer that he had appointed attorney Louis Van Rensburg to represent him, however his lawyer was not at court on Tuesday.
Sibeko is facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, murder and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Stander indicated that the case against Sibeko would be transferred to the Port Elizabeth High Court.
This means he will stand trial on October 10.
The case against Sibeko was postponed until Friday for his lawyer to be present.
Meanwhile, the Inggs family was present at court on Tuesday and took up the front row of the public gallery.
Jayde's mother Michelle, shook her head in sorrow when the state read out that Sibeko had previous convictions.
The Panayiotou family was nowhere to be seen. - ANA