Judge shoots down Panayiotou's leave to appeal

Christopher Panayiotou was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Jayde File picture: Eugene Coetzee
Christopher Panayiotou was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Jayde File picture: Eugene Coetzee
Image: Eugene Coetzee

Christopher Panayiotou's application for leave to appeal his murder conviction was quickly shot down by Judge Dayalin Chetty on Thursday morning.

Judge Chetty said the only victim here was Panayiotou's slain wife, Jayde, who was now being supplanted by other "would be victims" such as middleman Luthando Siyoni and his girlfriend, Babalwa Breakfast.

He said senior defence Advocate Terry Price's argument served only to obscure the real issues at hand and to try and deceive Chetty into granting leave to appeal.

"The grounds upon which leave to appeal was sought are, in essence, a regurgitation of the submissions advanced at trial."

Chetty said no other court would come to another conclusion that Panayiotou orchestrated his wife's murder.

A Herald exclusive: The secret recording in which murder accused Christopher Panayiotou chats to self-confessed middleman Luthando Siyoni shortly after the murder of Panayiotou’s wife Jayde.

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