The self-confessed middleman who allegedly helped plan the murder of Uitenhage school teacher Jayde Panayiotou appeared briefly in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on Friday, only for his case to postponed again.
Luthando Siyoni, 37, confirmed to magistrate Thandeka Mashiyi that although his lawyer Zolile Ngqeza was not in court he was still representing him.
Siyoni told Mashiyi that the last time he had spoken to Ngqeza was on July 4 when his application for bail was denied.
He is facing two charges for his role in the April 2015 murder – conspiracy to commit murder and murder.
Siyoni, a former employee of Christopher Panayiotou, who was found guilty in November of killing his wife, was the first to be arrested in connection with her murder.
He quickly confessed the details of the kidnapping and the murder which were made in statements obtained from him and his girlfriend, Babalwa Breakfast.
However, during the trial Siyoni changed his version of events, refused to answer questions put to him and was declared a hostile witness.
After nearly six months on the run, Siyoni was finally arrested at his Kwazakhele home in May.
On Friday, prosecutor Qodile Yelani told the court the director of public prosecutions (DPP) had requested for Siyoni’s case to he postponed to August 31 for a decision to be finalised on whether he should be tried in the magistrate’s or high court.
“The matter is on the roll for the DPP decision – this is not an old matter as the bail application was only a few weeks ago,” said Yelani.
Asked by Mashiyi what was holding up the matter, Yelani said there was still no decision taken by the DPP on where the matter should be heard.
Siyoni will remain in custody until his next court appearance.