Court cases that rocked the nation

Nelson Mandela Bay has over the years made it onto the national map for some of the biggest, most groundbreaking and heartbreaking court cases over the years — and Weekend Post and its sister publication, The Herald, were there every step of the way, keeping readers informed.

One of the biggest cases in recent years was that of Christopher Panayiotou — the guy next door who poured his heart out in front of dozens of mourners following the horrific kidnapping and murder of his wife, Jayde.

It wasn’t long before the rumour mill started and, unfortunately, the pessimists (or realists, let’s face it) were correct.

Panayiotou was arrested for ordering a hit on this beautiful young woman, a beloved teacher and passionate animal lover. 

It was a story every television outlet and national publication wanted a piece of. But it was a Gqeberha journalist’s story to tell — and we owned it.

The trial in the high court pitted Jayde’s family and friends, understandably grief-stricken and betrayed, against the Panayiotou family, and it was not long before the Panayiotous directed their anger towards the media, who were made to sit in the court gallery as somewhat of a buffer between the two families. 

Advocate Terry Price SC led the charge as Panayiotou’s defence lawyer.

He was a big personality, had a bit of a temper, but also a massive heart.

He became integral to most of the city’s big cases over the years.

It was therefore heartbreaking to write Price’s obituary in July 2021.

Panayiotou only admitted his guilt some years later, when he testified against the middleman, Luthando Siyoni, who had arranged the hitmen to bundle Jayde into the boot of a hired vehicle and later shoot her.

It was a damning video of Panayiotou speaking to Siyoni about this after the fact that sealed the guilty verdict.

Another big case Price was involved in before his death was that of rape accused pastor Timothy Omotoso.

The Nigerian televangelist and senior pastor of Jesus Dominion International, has been in jail awaiting trial since April 2017 for rape, racketeering and human trafficking.

His court appearances, though protracted, have been accompanied with plenty of camera and action.

Dressed in a shiny suit each time he takes to the dock, Omotoso consistently smiles for the cameras, Bible in hand.

His case has been delayed for many reasons — repeat bail applications, bids for acquittal, and the state prosecutor having to be replaced, in addition to the judge being forced to recuse himself due to a conflict of interest.

Omotoso is accused along with two other church members of trafficking and raping young women.

Another big case, one that dates back to 1994, was the most horrific rape case Nelson Mandela Bay would likely ever experience.

Alison Botha’s abduction and rape left women looking over their shoulders, afraid to drive alone at night.

On December 18 1994, Botha was abducted while driving home from a night out.

She was raped, stabbed and nearly disembowelled — but somehow she managed to survive.

Her story was well documented, and in her book, I Have Life, she refers to one journalist in particular, former Weekend Post reporter Brett Adkins.

While every member of the media was pushing to interview her, Adkins waited quietly at the sidelines until she was ready to speak — and that is why she probably chose him.

In July 2023, we once again reported on Botha — but this time it was about her worst nightmare which had come to life — her rapists, Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger, who had been sentenced to life in prison, were paroled.

Three years after the attack on Botha, a serial killer emerged in the city.

Stewart Wilken, better known as “Boetie Boer”, was regarded as a highly unusual serial killer, having killed individuals from two distinct victim types — female prostitutes and young boys.

He also killed his own daughter.

Wilken killed from 1990 until he was arrested in January 1997, and is now serving seven life sentences.

Valentine’s Day has never been the same for the people of Gqeberha following the shock murder of home-grown model Reeva Steenkamp. 

Steenkamp was shot through a bathroom door in her then-boyfriend’s home.

Of course, the case was already huge, but what made it grab international headlines was that the person accused of shooting her was Paralympian Oscar Pistorius.

The image of him vomiting into a red bucket in the Pretoria high court as evidence was led about Steenkamp’s injuries will surely stick in our minds forever.

The trial played out with two big legal eagles pitted against one another — Barry Roux and Gerrie Nel.

There was even a song written about Roux.

Pistorius was ultimately convicted, but has also since been paroled.

Steenkamp’s parents, Barry and June, continued to live in Gqeberha, with Barry sadly passing away in October 2023.

He was 80 and could never come to terms with his beautiful daughter’s death.

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